OBERON Tigers coach Dallas Booth loves a bit of banter, including dubbing himself 'the fattest back in the comp', but when it comes to this Saturday's Mid West League Cup round his message is deadly serious.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
If you need help, if you're struggling, if you're in a dark place, please reach out.
When Oberon hosts CSU in the fifth round of the competition, the battle on the field will no doubt be intense.
But the Tigers also know there are more important and even tougher battles going on every day, so will use the day to help promote suicide awareness.
"Obviously it's something that has been an issue for not only us as a club, but for the community out at Oberon and it's something that, as a club, we want to do whatever we can to make sure people know that there are avenues out there," Booth said.
"This year our club and our community has lost two young men to suicide. These young men had families, friends, jobs in town, they loved and played for the Tiges, there was no signs, no warnings, no tells.
"There's just a stigma about mental health, that we try to hide how we really feel and we mask up every time we feel down or snowed under.
"That's why this week Oberon Tigers will be dedicating our home game to suicide awareness."
There will be information for people available on the day and they will also be treated to some quality league. The men's match will see the undefeated Tigers against defending premiers the Mungoes.
"It will be the league tag side's second home game, but it will be our first, so we're pretty pumped for it," Booth said.
With Oberon averaging more than 50 points a game and sure to get a lift from the home crowd, CSU coach Rhys Power knows his men will need to be better than they were in last Saturday's two-point loss to Cargo.
"We are definitely going to need to improve for Oberon, that's for sure. They've gone and done all the gross away game stuff and now they're ready to rip in and take on everyone at home," he said.
"I think they'll be a bit more keen than what a lot of people are anticipating being at home for the first time this season.
"I think we've just got to play smarter footy. It's hard - when you look at our spine I think the oldest one is maybe 20 ... just the experience and smarts in the nitty gritty times of the games is something we lack. If our key guys can make better decisions at more critical times in games I think we'll give most teams a shake.
"I said to the boys that I've got full faith in our ability to defend as well as anyone in the comp and I think we've got enough individual brilliance and attacking players to score points, it's just a matter of whether we can get them to work both together to win the game."
Kick-off is at 2.30pm.