Woonona Shamrocks and University Mallee Bulls occupy the two bottom spots heading into their round 10 Illawarra District Rugby Union clash at Ocean Park on Saturday.
But it's fair to say both teams head into the game full of confidence, especially the visiting Mallee Bulls, who ended their seven-game losing run with an emotional last-start victory over 'battle of the bridge' rivals Tech Waratahs.
The Shamrocks were beaten 52-10 by reigning premiers and runaway leaders Shoalhaven last week but Damien Tevillion's men were well in the game before the Brandon brothers Steven, Kieran and Mark, ran amok in the last 15 minutes to secure an eighth-straight win for Shoals.
"We're feeling pretty confident. We lost last week but the performance we put in would have secured us a win against any other team," Trevillion said.
"We had a strong showing against Shoalhaven, especially in the first half where the score was just 12-10 to them at halftime. Their back-three are quite special in the way they play footy. Their two tries, the ball skills were just unbelievable. Against any other team we would have been up 10-0.
"In the second half there wasn't much difference between our best and what we displayed in the second half but they punished any error to the enth degree.
"Even in that second half, if we play to that level and beyond we will put up a good showing.
"The Brandon brothers killed us but we were pretty good otherwise."
His Uni counterpart Simon Hackett was also extremely satisfied with his team's breakthrough win over the Waratahs last Saturday.
But Hackett was quick to add after the game, that the Mallee Bulls now had to kick-on and continue to improve.
"Hopefully we can just lift now and we can keep going forward and keep building on what we've done," he said.
"It's important for us to try and be competitive for the rest of the season and to give ourselves a good show in all the games that we've got left."
Shamrocks coach Trevillion is expecting the Mallee Bulls to come full of confidence but is backing his players to get the job done at home.
He said his young side was still missing some key players, including skipper Ryan Schoupp, but was slowly starting to get their best players on the paddock.
"This weekend will be the first time we've fielded the same side two weeks in a row," Trevillion said.
"We still haven't got our best side on the paddock but I'm happy to see some consistency in team selection."
The eighth-placed Shamrocks have only won two games to date but Trevillion has praised his team's first half of the season.
"I think under the circumstances, they've been outstanding," he said.
"I'm not gonna put a numerical number on it because it's neither here nor there, but I've seen the effort of training, I know how much work they put into their own game.
"I'm proud of the boys in the face of adversity."
Elsewhere, Tech Waratahs will look to get back to winning ways when they host the impressive Kiama Cows at Saunders Oval, while Campbelltown play Shoalhaven and Avondale battle Bowral.
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
