Cowra Magpies winger Caley Mok says that the club's embrace of "sudden-death" footy will hold it in good stead for its final fortnight of matches against vaunted opponents, the Mudgee Dragons and Bathurst Panthers.
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The Magpies host the Dragons at Sid Kallas Oval this weekend, after a solid month of footy where they have won four from four, defeating Blayney, Bathurst St Pat's, Orange CYMS and Oberon.
Mok says that part of the improvement has come from the fact that it was also only a month ago that the team's season was in the balance, with injuries and suspension contributing to a mid-season lean patch.
"We've been improving every week," Mok said,
"In the back of our minds we've been playing sudden-death footy for the last month, knowing that there's every possibility that every loss could hinder our chance of making finals."
While the addition of the likes of Jeremy Gordon, Brydon Ramien and has made things easier, Mok has also noted that it has allowed for a return to the squad's off-season focal points.
"Now that we're starting to get the troops back... We're starting to build on what we started to do in the pre-season," he said.
"It's a really good time for us to get that form... Hopefully that will help us go a long way in the finals if we do make it."
Mok also believes that the Magpies tough run home, which includes two teams in the top three, will have it well-prepared for finals.
"Obviously when you do come into finals you've got to beat the best teams anyway," he observed.
"To play them at the back end of the year will give us a good indication of where we're at."
Mok said his team would have to weary of captain-coach Jack Littlejohn and his team, believing that Littlejohn's experience would be particularly influential for Mudgee.
"Any player who has had NRL experience or been in those systems before, they've learnt a lot," Mok said.
"I'm sure he's been able to bring a lot of his own experience back to Mudgee... He [also] does play in a key position and that does help your team around the park.
"We're going to have to be on our toes, but I think that the way to shut him down is to contain their forward pack."
Nevertheless, regardless of the opposition and the various things the team needs to work on, Mok says their collective focus is likely to remain locked in on one key point.
"Defence wins games," he said.
"Over the last month, once we've sort of got our defence in order, the points have come from there and we've been able to win a few games."
Part of this has also been the shortening of in-game lapses which allow the opposition to put points on quickly against the Magpies in some mid-season matches.
"There's [been] a big emphasis on the way we react when something goes wrong," Mok said.
"There's not going be any team that plays week-in, week-out where the momentum is going to be with you for the full 80 minutes.
"To be able to weather that storm and not allow a team to get too much momentum is massive... just sort of staying in the game so that it doesn't get away from us."
The senior men's Cowra Magpies will play their final home game of the year against the Mudgee Dragons this Saturday afternoon from 2.30pm, with League Tag kicking off proceedings from 10.30am.
