THE Southern Mallee Giants will look to get one back on Saturday against a Horsham Saints side that proved too strong earlier this season.
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In a commanding second half of the season the Giants have been able to knock off every side it has come up against.
The Saints are the only side not to have lost to the Wimmera league’s newest side but will be up against it away from Coughlin Park.
Giants coach Coleman Schache said his side was keen to turn the table against the Saints.
“They ran rings around us last time and absolutely smashed us,” he said.
“We’ve definitely learnt a lot since then and we are still just trying to improve every week.”
The Giants were eventually able to record a 35-point win against Stawell in round 15 but were unable to fully capitalise on dominant passages due to poor delivery into the forward line.
It will need to be better in order to snare four point in round 16.
“We had a lot of the ball last week but couldn’t convert,” Schache said.
“If we don’t convert against teams like the Saints we know they will outscore us.
“It will be about trying to make sure we have space in the forward 50 – when we have a lot of the footy we need to open it up.”
Saints coach Luke Fisher said he was looking forward to playing at Beulah for the first time.
“They always have a big following so hopefully it will be a bit like a finals atmosphere,” he said.
“What we did last time was bring lots of pressure, there was nothing special about the gameplan it was just competing for four quarters.
“We need to try and repeat that.”
The Saints will be without Nathan Byrne and Alexander McRae is expected to remain on the sideline for another week while the Giants are expected to make few or no changes.
A general bye in the TAC Cup will likely mean the Saints have close to their full contingent of Greater Western Victoria Rebels representative available.
When the the two sides met in round seven Angus Gove featured prominently up forward and Schache is wary of them again playing pivotal roles.
“Sam Jasper on the wing is a very smart player as well,” he said.
“The Saints outspread us last time we played them and we weren’t able to move the footy – we’re going to have to work harder because I think that’s where it will be won.”
Fisher said it would be important that his side won the ball first at the contest.
“They’ve got a lot of quality players who win the ball at the source,” he said.
“Tyler Lehmann is a big one who will win his own ball and if they get the chance to deliver it into the forward lines the likes of Sam White can make us really pay.”