CENTRAL may have conceded the least amount of points this Newcastle Rugby League season, but coach Adam Bettridge feels like the next three rounds will provide a stern defensive test.
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The Butcher Boys have leaked just 100 points from eight outings so far in 2024 with half of that coming from the team's only two losses.
Five times they have managed to keep opponents to 10 or less across 80 minutes, featuring a shutout versus Macquarie last month.
Frontrunners the Pickers, who Central visit in round 13 when play resumes from a competition-wide weekend off, boast a slightly better per-game average of 12 points against.
Saturday's encounter at Maitland Sportsground will be followed by back-to-back fixtures at home - top-five contender Western Suburbs (July 21) and The Entrance (July 28), who sit alongside Central in a three-way share of third spot on the ladder.
"Very happy, they are defending well so far but big test the next three weeks," Bettridge said.
"Three big games against top teams in the draw ... so this well be a really good test for our club and seeing where some of our guys are at."
With two byes already behind them and the Newcastle RL campaign recently pushed back amid the region's wet weather, Central now face eight straight matches which includes consecutive clashes against Lakes (August 10, 17).
"I'd love to have eight straight," he said.
"I think the boys, and like everyone in Newcastle and everyone in sport in general, are sick of being washed out."
Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
