THEY already look tough to stop but Mudgee Dragons prop Zac Saddler believes there's still another level the team can reach in this year's Peter McDonald Premiership.
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The former NRL player was one of the star performers for the Dragons in their 40-26 win away to the Bathurst Panthers at Carrington Park, where he picked up two tries.
Saddler and the Dragons pack laid the groundwork for the visitors' success with a big opening half, where Mudgee at one stage got themselves out to a 22-0 lead.
It's the fourth win on the trot for a Dragons side that have looked in fine form every game since their round one defeat to Orange CYMS.
Saddler said that ever since that loss the team have been looking better with each game.
"We were really disappointed in our round one effort against Orange. That's not the side we are and not the side we want to be," he said.
"I personally don't think we're at our best yet. It'll just come week by week and we want to keep getting better with every game.
"Starting the way we did today is we've been working on. That really helped set us up, and we got a lot of go-ahead from [player-coach] Clay [Priest] and the boys."
Adding to a pack with serious firepower
Saddler was one of the major signings of the PMP off-season and has been a pivotal piece of the Dragons' attack, scoring five tries this year and providing a huge engine for the team to call upon.
He's been travelling in from Sydney on the weekends to play with his new club and has been relishing the experience.
"I'm really enjoying it. It's a great bunch of boys. It's great to get out of Sydney for the weekends, and I'm loving it," Saddler said.
"I was born in Bathurst so it's great being back around the country again."
The game got completely away from Panthers in the second half when Brady Cheshire was sin binned for a late shot and Mudgee ran in two tries to make it a 36-10 game.
Panthers added a little more respectability to the scoreboard with a couple of late tries but their slow start came back to haunt them.
"Mudgee were just better today. They wanted it more. They tackled harder. They ran harder," Panthers player-coach Jake Betts said.
"The dominated us in the middle and were just too good."
Dragons turn up ready to go at Bathurst
Saddler scored both his tries inside the first 11 minutes of the game in identical fashion - hitting the line hard from close range and dragging several defenders over the line with him.
Panthers had several chances close to the Dragons try line but came up empty handed.
Dragons then turned to both their edges for the next two tries.
The first came down the left side when David West was put into space and then Jack Beasley finished off a great team try down the right wing to make it 22-0.
Panthers gave themselves hope thanks to a much improved end to the half, finding their first try through Jake Betts before Haydn Edwards got the crowd in full voice with an intercept try.
Priest and Harry Hopkins scored while Mudgee had the one-man advantage to secure the win.
Panthers never gave up - scoring three tries during a rare lull in the Dragons' defensive energy - but a late intercept try for Mudgee winger Eth Pegus ended things on a high note for the visitors.
Alexander Grant
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
Part of the Western Advocate's sports desk in Bathurst.
