By Ben Lonergan (Armidale Express, 23/05/2014)
New England Nomads player-coach Zac Economou is urging his players to not be complacent when they take on the lowly Gunnedah Bulldogs on Saturday.

“I know they’re sitting at the bottom of the table,” he said.

“But we need to make sure we take something out of this game.

“That’s both as a team and as individual players.” The Nomads have set the competition alight through three rounds in 2014, while the Bulldogs are at the other end of the spectrum.

They are tied for last place with the Tamworth Swans after losing all three of their opening matches.

Saturday’s match in Gunnedah shapes up as a mismatch on paper, but Economou insists the Bulldogs aren’t to be taken lightly.

“They’ve been a very good side in the past,” he said.

“In the past few years they’ve had some of the best footballers in the league.”

In a scary sign for the rest of the TAFL, the Nomads have been missing key players in all of their three lopsided wins so far this season.

“The club has a lot of depth this year,” Economou said.

“But there are some selection headaches that come with that as well.”

Stars Tom Hunt and Mark Spencer return to the Nomad line-up this week, while skipper Weston Whitby drops out. “Mark Spencer is ready to go,” Economou said.

“He’s recovered really quickly from a knee injury he picked up in round one.

“Weston Whitby has a sore hamstring so we will give him a rest.

“It’s a real luxury for me to be able to rest Whitby and bring in Tom Hunt.”

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