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West Brisbane Panthers may not be the flashiest side in the Brisbane Rugby League, but you can’t deny their resilience.
The club notched a gritty 21-16 win over Easts Tigers last weekend despite only fielding 16 players.
Coach Wayne Weekes will again have another empty seat on the bench this round, but he doesn’t seem fazed.
“This team know how to apply themselves and how to deal with adversity as a team and stay positive,” he said.
“We’re tight as a group and play for each other … any result is a little bonus on top.”
Although keen talk up effort over scorelines, Weekes knows his team is in with a sniff of finals footy if they can string some wins together.
The Panthers are currently in seventh position, three points adrift of the Tigers.
Their run home in the final four rounds is a mixed bag of two teams above them on the ladder and two below – Redcliffe (3rd), Valleys (9th), Carina (8th) and Logan Brothers (4th).
They’re close enough if good enough.
However, this week’s challenge is on paper the most difficult of the four – the reinvigorated Dolphins have won four from their past five.
“We honestly don’t worry about who we’re playing … we just patch up the gaps in the side we need to patch up and we do our best,” Weekes said.
“We do want to make sure we’re a difficult team to play against.
“And after that anything can happen.”
In other fixtures, Gaters host Ipswich Jets, who caused plenty of defensive headaches for Craig Rodgers and his troops in the last meeting, a 36-20 defeat.
“We’ll be up for it … our defence has got to be spot on and we have to work together as a defensive line,” Rodgers said.
Logan Brothers will be desperate to bounce back against competition leaders Wynnum Manly Redland City at Kitchener Park.
Brothers are currently in fourth position, but could drop as low as sixth if results fall against them.
Mansfield’s Allan Innes Field hosts the Easts Tigers’ clash with Valleys Diehards, while Normanby Hounds meet Carina at Purtell Park.
ROUND 15
Saturday, August 8
2.15pm - Wynnum Manly Redland City v Logan Brothers at Kitchener Park (Live stream)
3.15pm - West Brisbane Panthers v Redcliffe Dolphins at Kev McKell Oval
3.30pm - Gaters v Ipswich Jets at South Pine Sports Complex
4pm - Normanby Hounds v Carina at Purtell Park
Sunday, August 9
3pm - Easts Tigers v Valleys Diehards at Allan Innes Field
