ROYCE Geoffrey will now reset for a premiership tilt with Macquarie in 2022 after notching up a milestone for the club.
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The Scorpions have three games in seven days to finish the regular season after Geoffrey made his 150th appearance in the top grade.
Macquarie, poised to play finals footy for the first time since claiming the Newcastle Rugby League title in 2017, are currently fourth on the ladder with rivals two points either side.
Geoffrey says "we probably deserve to be where we are".
"We'd like to be a bit higher but it's our own fault. We've dropped a couple of games we should have won and we've just played inconsistent footy," he said.
"We've got good patches in us but then we drop off."
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Macquarie hit the road for their run home, meeting leaders the Pickers at Maitland Sportsground on Sunday, Wests in a midweek catch-up game and Lakes at Cahill Oval next weekend.
The fixture between the Scorpions and Wests was originally scheduled for Harker Oval on Wednesday night (8.30pm), but has also since been listed at Maryland's Grange Oval.
Newcastle RL officials are yet to confirm the details.
"It's pretty much must wins at this time of year," Geoffrey said.
"As far as the competition goes you assume Maitland will probably finish first, Central look like they've got second wrapped up, but us and Cessnock are still in the mix for third which is very important."
A local junior, Geoffrey debuted for Macquarie in 2010, played in a grand-final loss in 2015 and was sidelined with injury just prior to a winning decider five years ago.
Although experiencing that drought-breaking success with the Scorpions, the left centre admits "you want to be out on the field" as he strives to make another showdown.
Geoffrey, who turns 30 in October, enjoyed stints at English club Lock Lane (2016), Cessnock (2018) and Dora Creek (2020) but has mainly been based at Toronto's Lyall Peacock Field.
This made Saturday's occasion, featuring a try in Macquarie's 44-0 win over Wyong, even more "special".
"All the stars aligned really. It was old boys day as well, women in league round and we were wearing our Indigenous jerseys," he said.
Geoffrey, a high school PE teacher at Lochinvar, was joined for the 150th milestone by family including daughter Aylah wearing a specially-made Macquarie jersey.
Central host Cessnock in the other top-four clash this weekend.
Wests are at home to Souths while Lakes and Kurri both travel to meet Central Coast clubs Entrance and Wyong respectively.
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