KEEN TO PLAY: Moruya Sharks captain-coach Richard Bradbury said he would have much preferred to play this weekend. PHOTO: Dean Benson.
ACCORDING to the draw, the Moruya Sharks should be in the final stages of preparation for a mouth-watering top-of-the-table clash against Bega this weekend.
Instead, captain-coach Richard Bradbury will try to “earn some brownie points” with his family after Group 16 officials last week informed the Sharks that they would be sitting this weekend out.
Bega will take on Cooma tomorrow for the second time in as many weeks, while the Sharks will have no choice but to rest up again after having a bye last Sunday.
“The Group has thrown in another bye to play a washout game this weekend, so unfortunately it’s given us two weekends off,” Bradbury said yesterday.
“We’re not too happy about it because we want to get on a roll before we head to the semis and now we’ve got two weekends off while Bega is playing.
“In one way it’s good because we can get over all the niggly (injuries), but in another way it’s bad because it robs us of some momentum.”
Bradbury claimed the Sharks weren’t consulted about the decision until they were told last Friday, but insisted on trying to make the most of the situation.
“Well the Group has been buggering us around now for a while about when they’re going to do this and they so happen to throw it on us to give us two weeks off and not coming and talking to any of the clubs before doing it,” Bradbury said.
“But on the other hand, we’re trying to look at it as a positive by getting over all of our niggling injuries.”
Bradbury (shoulder) is one of at least three key players to fall into that “niggly injury” category, while Tim Weyman (ankle) and Mitch Kennedy (groin) will also use the weekend off to recover.
Asked whether he would take the chance to go and watch Bega play as part of a reconnaissance mission, Bradbury replied: “No, I’ve got better things to do with my time. I’m going to try and get some brownie points with the family.
“But by all means, we’d rather be playing this weekend.”
The Sharks skipper said the way things have worked out are “not ideal” but he insisted his troops would be focussed on the task at hand next week.
“It’s not ideal because now we’ve got to go down to Bega next weekend and try and get our momentum back and secure the major semi and the minor premiership,” Bradbury said.
