The two clubs will face off in a derby at Bemboka’s Colombo Park on Sunday afternoon in both reserve grade and league-tag competition. 

Candelo-Bemboka president Jake McDonald said it will be a stretch for the injury-laden Panthers, who are waiting until Friday before naming their squad to take on the Sea Eagles. 

“Honestly, we’re still carrying a few injuries and we’ll have to wait and see,” McDonald said. 

Meanwhile, Tathra president Peter Finucane said his side was also injury-riddled, but also had players returning from injury regularly. 

“We’ve got a few blokes back from injury, we seem to gain one and then lose one,” Finucane said with a laugh. 

“But we’re pretty confident, we’ll just try and match them up, our last game against them was good, they play good, hard footy.”

For the Panthers, it’s been a learning process now the club isn’t as big across the middle as it has been over the last few seasons. 

“We’ve been trying to bring more of that at the moment [working the ball to the fringes], we can get caught in the mentality of running it up the middle ... but some of our young guys are starting to believe in themselves a bit more which is what we want to see heading towards semi-finals,” McDonald said. 

The two clubs will contest again for the Terry Dickson Shield – a Bemboka football that washed up on Tathra Beach in the late 70s – right now it’s in the hands of the Sea Eagles after their recent win. 

So Finucane said it will be a matter of if CBU could reclaim it, or could the Sea Eagles keep it on the shelf until next season. 

Despite the injury toll, both clubs are in good position for a finals spot and commended a couple of their players for helping plug the gaps in the last few weeks. 

McDonald said Nathan Moon had been on top of his game since accepting the captaincy of the Panthers, while Haywood Fraser had also been “refreshed” with increased duties at the club. 

“Last week was probably the best I’ve seen him play,” McDonald added. 

For the Sea Eagles, Finucane said Scott Orr had been a workhorse. 

“He has had an injury all year, but he's just a real tough competitor - he's been one of our best defensively and he can also pick a gap through the middle and be an elusive runner,” Finucane said. 

Candelo-Bemboka’s first win in league-tag was over the Tathra Phoenix. 

However, the Tathra contingent just rallied from 18-0 down to defeat Narooma last weekend. 

Tathra president Peter Finucane said the Phoenix were building good combinations, but it boiled down to having the team together. 

“Our problem has been not having much of a bench and Candelo Bemboka are in a similar predicament, we’re expecting a pretty competitive game and it might just come down to endurance and how has more back up,” Finucane said. 

The Phoenix are in their maiden season, but the Pink Panthers are fronting up with some newcomers to the code as well. 

“Those girls who haven't played before are starting to learn what's required and they’re beginning to put some good combinations together,” Jake McDonald said. 

Ladies and reserve grade matches will be at Bemboka’s Colombo Park on Sunday with league-tag to kick off from 1.30pm.