By MARK CASHMAN

Former Southern Districts great and current West Harbour coach Joe Barakat knows plenty about the side his team will host at Drummoyne tomorrow.

The Pirates are one from three over the first month of the Shute Shield and Barakat believes that results will have to be forthcoming this week against the Rebels and the following Saturday against the Hunter Wildfires to remain relevant in 2022.

“These are the sort of games that we just have to win,” Barakat told Rugby News.

“We’ve got the makings of a side that can compete in this competition but we just need time together and some of that continuity that the good sides get.

“There have been some positive signs in our first three rounds – the win against the Two Blues of course and I thought that we created a bit more than Sydney Uni did last weekend, but they are a side that makes the most of their opportunities and they did.”

Barakat was Southern Districts’ first club captain when the once proud old St George club and Port Hacking were pushed down the aisle for what has been a sometimes problematic marriage.

‘Smokin’ Joe’ still describes himself as a proud St George man.

“I just loved the place,” Barakat said in reference to his time at St George when the likes of Peter Lucas, Glenn da Vanzo and current Souths president Brad Devine ran out in the red and white.

“We lost a lot of good St George friends (when the two clubs merged) but the coming together was something that had to be done for the sake of the game in the area.

“Before that it was either St George or Port Hacking relegated and that sort of stuff is never great for a footy club.

“It was just something that had to happen but all that is out the window when you walk into here (Forshaw) and head for the visitors’ dressing sheds.”

Barakat feels that the Rebels could well be vulnerable at scrum time with Conor Young off to the Reds for an opportunity at Super Rugby levels and Blake Schoupp out injured at the moment.

Wests do have three gnarled veterans at their disposal in Sonny Satuala, Tametai Lomax and Cameron Bethan at their disposal and they would be mad not to try this avenue early in this game.

Wests’ No.8 Prez Tufuga and No.9 Will Grant have been others to impress but Barakat loves the work of his outside centre Christopher Ebeling.

“In my mind he’s been our best player so far this season,” Barakat said.

“Chris has been at Wests for a long time and I just think that he’s getting the ball into his hands in the right spots on the field and making the most of it.

“Our shape is a little bit different to what it has been in recent seasons but Chris is really revelling in the environment.

“I just can’t afford not to have him in my team at the moment.”