The South West divisional title may already be secured but the South Wales Warriors are aiming to complete a perfect season on Sunday and ensure home field advantage for the play-offs.
The Warriors are undefeated and complete their eight-game regular season in division two of the British American Football League (BAFA) with a long trip to Redruth to face the Cornish Sharks (2.30pm).
While the Warriors put 62 points on the Sharks when the teams met at Llanharan in June the priority for the Warriors, who’ve only conceded two touchdowns all season, is keeping their hosts from scoring.
“We are home in the first round of the playoffs, as division winners. But we must win, and not concede points, if we are to have home field advantage for the semi-final also,” says Warriors head coach Geraint Roberts before adding: “if we get there.”
Before thoughts turn to the play-offs the Warriors must face the Sharks who will be boosted by the confidence gained from two victories, since their loss in South Wales, over the division’s basement side the Jurassic Coast Raptors.
Roberts insists there is no danger of overlooking the final regular season game with the prize of an undefeated season – which has seen the Warriors ranked as the number one side across all six divisions in the third tier in the British American Football website Double Coverage’s power rankings for the past two weeks – on offer.
“We’re still focused on our season aims, so Sunday is hugely important to us. We’re taking it one game at a time,” says Roberts falling back on a cliché that has served many a coach well when there is a danger of looking at the bigger picture rather than the immediate challenge.
Quarterback Dean Jackson, who left the Warriors victory over the Torbay Trojans as a precaution after twisting his knee, is fit to start on Sunday and David Pruett, who ended a two-year retirement, to take the reins from Jackson and lead the Warriors to a convincing victory, is also due to travel.
Rookie QB William Kay also saw action against the Trojans but Roberts is making no promises on running through his depth chart on Sunday: “We’re approaching this game like any other. Player rotation will depend on how the game is going.”
Defensively the Warriors are likely to be less willing to rest starters as they need to ensure they keep a clean sheet.
The Warriors will also be mindful that the Sharks showed some promise on offense in the earlier fixture and with home field advantage won’t have spent hours on the road before kick-off.
Running back Joshua Hughes is also available after his powerful running was missed in the early stages against the Trojans.