Berrigan takes on Blighty at Deniliquin in the North West league’s elimination final on Sunday and after a season that promised plenty, Russell conceded an early exit would be hard to swallow.

“It would be disappointing,” Russell said.

“Obviously we want to win this week.

“At the start of the year, we were planning to be a spot or two higher on the ladder but injuries have knocked us around a bit.

“But you can only play with what you’ve got and the boys trained well and are feeling confident this week.

“We really need those lesser lights to stand up and be counted.

“That’s the difference in finals.”

Russell said the Saints had to make the most of Deniliquin’s wide open spaces.

“Blighty are a fairly tall side,” he explained.

“We need to run our backside’s off.”

Strathmerton, meanwhile, will be favourites to progress to the second semi-final when it hosts Tocumwal in Saturday’s qualifying final.