After a slow start to the season, Sea Eagle Scott Barton said it will be a “mental challenge” to overcome the Cooma Stallions. 

“We just have to go up there with the hunger to win,” Barton said. 

Barton said the club wasn’t “clicking right” at the moment, but hoped it could turnaround from the previous two matches. 

“We’ve come up against two sides that have been more willing to win than us.

“It’s not for a lack of effort, all the boys are still trying really hard,” he said. 

Playing-coach Willie McDonald said he was preparing for a big challenge. 

“I’ve never played up there myself, but I’m told it’s the toughest road trip in the comp,” McDonald said. 

Barton said the Sea Eagles would look at shutting down Cooma’s key play makers. 

“Like any side you play, if you can keep their six and  seven quiet, you go a long way towards winning the game.

“We want to send a lot of traffic at them, get up in their face and put a lot of pressure on them.”

Meanwhile, the Tathra side will look to its own play makers on Sunday. 

“Willie [McDonald] as coach is leading the way,” Barton said. 

 “I’ve got no doubt he’ll lead the way again.

“He’s got some new patterns and styles he wants to play,” he said. 

The club’s flighty youngsters can also swing things in favour of the Sea Eagles Barton said. 

“Young Bayden Pilbeam and Tate Cochrane [will be key].

“We really need the young guys to stand up, they’re a big part of our team and we have all the faith in the world in them.”

Barton said the two players knew their positions well and were “deserving of their spot in first grade”. 

McDonald hoped to see an all-around performance from the Sea Eagles. 

“It’s not up to one person, we need everyone to take it on their own back. 

“It’s more of a team effort at the moment, it’s a pretty new team so we’re still trying to finalise positions.”

McDonald said he was concentrating on communication so the team could “gel better”, but was ready to take on Cooma. 

“We’ve had a bit of bad luck lately and need to do some work on the smaller things. 

“But you make your own luck really, hopefully we can play a bit better and get a result,” he said. 

Training runs have concentrated on the team’s combinations and structures.

Barton said things are starting to come together. 

“We feel like we’re improving, it’s just a matter of being mentally preprared to go up there and give Cooma our best shot.

“We’re taking things as they come and we just want to look at this week and take Cooma on,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the reserves will go to the match on the back of a win, while the Seagulls are looking to put one on the board. 

“Our girls are really going to improve as the year goes on,” Barton said. 

“It is their first year, they have fun on the field and it’s just great to see them smiling and throwing the boots on.

“They get our there and show the boys up,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Tyler Rose will lead the reserve grade. 

“With Tyler Rose as coach and having great support from Stevie Marshall, they’ve really got the ressies firing at the moment,” Barton said. 

The Sea Eagles are hoping to see their fans in Cooma on the day.