Now or never for Nomads
By James Polson (Armidale Express, 15/06/2009)
The New England Nomads will get no better chance to arrest their recent form slump than when they travel to Muswellbrook to face the Cats tomorrow in the seventh round of the Tamworth Australian Football League (TAFL).
The Nomads are yet to win a game since registering two wins on the trot at the start of the season.
Last week they came close in against competition leaders the Tamworth Swans at home, but went down by eight points.
Muswellbrook were forced to concede their match against the Nomads in round two, and are yet to win a game this season.
Their smallest losing margin so far has been an unenviable 104 points.
Nomads player and president Ben Page said he hoped a win over Muswellbrook would be the catalyst to turn their season around.
After tomorrow’s match the Nomads have three home games in a row.
“Apparently Muswellbrook have been talking it up down there saying this is their chance for a win,” Page said.
“They’ll be tough down there but we’re pretty hopeful we can get a good win under our belts which we hope will lead into a string of victories.
“If we play anywhere near the form we did on the weekend we should go well.”
While the Nomads did go down in last week’s clash, there were plenty of positives to take out of the game, Page said.
“There was nothing in it and I think the final scoreline showed that,” he said.
“We’re the only team to have beaten the Swans this year (a close victory in round one), and the weekend was the closest anyone has got since.”
While the makeup of the Nomads squad wouldn’t be known until after training last evening, Page said he expected ‘a few’ players to be unavailable.
In tomorrow’s other TAFL fixtures the Tamworth Kangaroos host Gunnedah, while Inverell are at home to the Swans.
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