Border Mail | COROWA-RUTHERGLEN star Luke Gestier says morale remains high at the John Foord Oval despite losing three of their first four matches.
The Roos sit seventh after playing the four other finalists from last season and have the bye this week for the split round before facing a resurgent Wodonga at home.
Gestier said while honourable losses against league heavyweights Albury, Yarrawonga and Lavington may have been acceptable in the past, it was no longer the case.
“A lot of times in the past, people would have been patting us on the back in terms of getting close to Albury, pushing Lavington and really taking it up to Yarrawonga at the weekend,” he said.
“But we are no longer about that, we want the four points these days.
“As a group, we know where we are at and are really competitive and just need to start racking up the wins now.”
The Roos are yet to field a full-strength line-up this season, with coach Bryce Campbell (hamstring), Sam Carpenter (groin) and Hayden Singe (hamstring) all missing at least two matches.
Gestier also missed his first match at the weekend since joining the Roos from Rochester last year with a knee complaint suffered against Wangaratta Rovers the previous week.
“I hyper-extended my knee if the first 10 minutes against Rovers in a marking contest,” he said.
“After the game it didn’t feel too bad but on Sunday I could hardly move.
“I think it’s just a bit of bone bruising and I’m going to have scans later this week just to make sure it’s nothing more serious.
“I definitely plan to be back after the bye.
“I will just have a light week on the track and get back into full training the following week.”
Gestier labelled the Roos’ home clash against Bulldogs as a must win if they are to start charging up the ladder and make finals for a second successive season.
“It’s still only early but I guess you could say it’s shaping as a mini-final,” he said.
“We’re 1-3 and they’re 3-1 and these are the games we must start winning if we are going to be finals contenders.
“We just need to reel off a few consecutive wins and get our season back on track.”