The Maitland Magpies are confident young star Matt Comerford will be fit for Saturday's semi-final second leg against Edgeworth Eagles.
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The dynamic midfield/forward was unable to come up for last week’s first leg, in which the Magpies staged a courageous comeback to secure a 2-all draw with the league premiers.
“We’re likely to get him back into the team, but whether he starts or not hasn’t been decided,” Magpies assistant coach Reece Thompson said.
“We’ll do our tactical session on Thursday and make a decision.
“It will be more a tactical move. Matt Comerford brings something different to our team, but it 's the same with any team he plays with, it’s no fluke he made the Northern NSW rep team.
“The game plan for round one was not to lose the game. The game plan for this leg is to win the game.
“If that means bringing in Matt Comerford at the start or from the bench we will look at that and make the decision.
“I dare say we will play with a front three, probably Ben Martin, Ryan Clarke and Matt up front.”
The Magpies got through the game unscathed and had a light training session on Tuesday night.
Matt Comerford brings something different to our team, but it 's the same with any team he plays with, it’s no fluke he made the Northern NSW rep team.
- Maitland Magpies assistant coach Reece Thompson
“After the result on Saturday we are confident. We didn’t want to concede two goals but I was really proud of the effort but not surprised,” Thompson said.
“A lot of people in the crowd probably would have written us off when we went 2-0 down, but the boys we’ve got have real character and I’m not surprised we came back.
“Job done in the first week, we didn't want to lose. All we have to do this week is win.”
Thompson said the team would review the game, but felt the goals conceded were more a case of the ball being given away to cheaply and the Eagles being able to exploit the errors.
The Magpies travel to Jack McLaughlin Oval on Saturday for the second leg of the semi-final.
Kick off is at 2pm.
The Weston Bears under-22 and under-19 teams are at the same venue after winning their first leg encounters against Broadmeadow 2-0 and the Emerging Jets 1-0 respectively.
