Tamworth Kangaroos assistant coach Ben Mitchell expects the team will play one of its toughest games of the year this Saturday against the New England Nomads.
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After a barnstorming win in round one over the combined Narrabri Eagles Moree Suns (NEMS) team last weekend, 21.12.138 to 1.4.10, the Kangaroos are confident but will not underestimate the Nomads, who they have not beaten for years.
"It's going to be a tough ask, I don't think we've beaten them for three or four years at least," Mitchell said.
"It's going to be difficult, it's going to be hard, but we just work on the things that we can control, keep moving forward, and keep doing what we do.
"It'll be a real tester this weekend."
Head coach Richard Nicholl has spoken about his desire to implement new structures in the way the Kangaroos play leading in to the season.
But after weather forced the cancellation of their trial game and the Narrabri Tourist Hotel Cup, the Kangaroos were left without any matchplay opportunities to fine-tune their tactics.
So, as the team was forced to do so during the first round instead, Mitchell said the players carried out the new structure "in patches", but struggled to do so as a cohesive unit for the entire game.
This weekend, Mitchell expects the Kangaroos to "play really well in patches and see the game plan working".
"But as soon as it doesn't, I think the Nomads will capitalise on any error we make," he said.
"I think it'll be a lot clearer this weekend, for sure."
The Nomads won big during their first game last weekend, when they consigned the Gunnedah Bulldogs to a 17.17.119 to 4.6.30 defeat in Armidale.
Though Mitchell knows history has the Nomads coming into Saturday's clash as favourites, he said it is such games "that you play footy for".
"You want to play against the best. We've had a long pre-season, and to play against these guys, it's going to be a cracker."
The Kangaroos will take on the Nomads this Saturday at No. 1 Oval from 2pm, to be preceded by the women's clash at 12pm.
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