Inverell will provide Gunnedah with a "serious test" at Wolseley Oval on Saturday that will underline the Bulldogs' strengths and weaknesses, says new coach Doug Meagher.
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In a clash between the competition's only undefeated sides and last season's grand finallists, Meagher said "I'd love to see how we play" against the reigning premiers.
It will be the first meeting between the sides since Inverell beat Gunnedah by 16 points in last season's grand final. "I'm reasonably comfortable with where we sit," Meagher said.
A loss is not going to be the end of the world - it just gives us a bit more to work on.
- Doug Meagher
"You always want more. But this week will be a serious threat to find out where we are and what we're lacking and what we're good at.
"I'm looking forward to it ... a loss is not going to be the end of the world - it just gives us a bit more to work on."
Inverell and Gunnedah - first and second place on the ladder - have both won four games. But while Gunnedah are coming off a bye, the Saints will enter Saturday's clash propelled by a 179-point massacre of the Kangaroos at Inverell.
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Meagher said: "We're under no illusions that, after their performance last week against the Kangaroos, we're coming up against a really good side."
He added: "I don't know how they [Inverell] travel. But yeah, from our point of view, a win would be nice - it helps set up the rest of the year; that if we travel up there [Inverell] later in the year and we're still four points clear [atop the table], a loss is not going to damage our top-two aspirations, which is looking at a home final."
The Bulldogs will be without several players this weekend including captain Ben Maher (shoulder) and Brad Jenkinson (work). But they will welcome back several players including Scott Hardy. While Ben Crawley, who started the season with Narrabri, is expected to play his first match for Gunnedah.
