Gunnedah are taking an unconventional approach as they attempt to turn their horror recent record at Inverell around.
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The Red Devils haven't won up there since 2017.
Last year plagued by a slow start - they were 17-nil down after what coach Dan Martin described as the worst 20 minutes he'd seen them play in two years - they have taken some novel action to try and make sure they are switched on from the start.
Assistant coach Peter Burke, who will be looking after the side on Saturday with Martin in the UK, said they plan to make the players walk the final couple of kilometres to the ground.
"When you think about it they travel on a bus for three-and-a-half hours, they pull up at Bingara and scoff a pie and none of them have been drinking the right drinks," Burke explained.
"And then they normally get to the ground, pay their entry and go and sit down for another hour-and-a-half/two hours and then they get up and they expect their bodies to be ready for football."
"I want them to take them off the bus a couple of kilometres before the ground so they can walk to the ground and loosen up and limber up."
"Whether or not it works who knows, but you've got to try something different."
The question as Burke sees it is why is it happening?. He doesn't subscribe to the reasons like Inverell being stronger at home or the long trip, or the excuse of not having their strongest side.
As a club "that is really looking to win the premiership", he said no matter what teams are on the team sheet they should be able to perform well enough to get the win.
Burke watched the Highlanders play Pirates, who they have the following week, on the weekend but didn't take too much away given that they had to forfeit second grade.
He did note they have "a couple of really good footballers" that they "need to look out for", and are very dangerous in broken play.
It is an important game for the Red Devils with Pirates, the bye, then Narrabri to finish the first round.
While they are yet to drop a game, Burke said they are "nowhere near" where they need to be yet.
"It's nice to win games and get competition points there's no doubt about that," he said.
"But are we playing well enough to beat those two teams at this stage, I'm not sure.
"We've really got to lift our game and it's got to start this weekend."
Elsewhere Quirindi host Walcha, and Moree are at home to Scone.
