The Port Douglas Reef Raiders are having a tough week at training with more to come on Thursday as solid workouts are needed after lighter sessions last week and the bye weekend.

Tuesday night was a serious session of full contact drills just to get the muscle memory back on track, but true to our passion there was a little bit of respectful payback in the contact - yes that’s right, a few bruises and knocks amongst team mates gives one and all the right mindset after a weekend off.

Let's put it on the park on Saturday.

The game on Saturday against Brothers is expected to be a physical one and it is important to get contact back into training, perhaps more so than normal, just to get the body used to being hit and hit hard especially for technique and timing at the breakdown and tackles. The lads enjoyed their weekend off very much and now it’s back to the task at hand.

Over the next two weekends we play the two sides that defeated us in the first round so we have a lot to play for and much to achieve. Every side we play will be stronger with rep players back and a round of rugby under their belts which will have improved fitness and game structure.

The same applies to the Raiders - we are a much stronger side than the first round which will be needed as we sit atop the table and every team we play week in and week out will lift to bring us down a rung. However, observers are sure the raiders have what is needed to meet this challenge. Having trained on Tuesday there is no doubt we have the physicality!

The Raiders play Brothers away in the Tablelands this weekend and JCU at home on Carnivale weekend. Both are big games for the team but the JCU game will have added pressures.

The Raiders want the field of dreams to be a fortress where we don’t yield this season and as we hold the “Tubby” Jeckel Trophy (a trophy defended by its holders at each home game) this becomes paramount.

We have the foundation of a successful season; we just need to deliver on our potential.