It’s been a strange ole season for BBC.

After a bye in round one, the 2020 first XV premiers fell short against a red hot Brisbane State High side a week later, then won five straight matches all without playing their best rugby. 

BBC are third on the GPS ladder with two rounds remaining and could become a genuine title contender if they beat Nudgee at home this weekend. 

“We’ve had an up and down year so far to be honest. We lost Charlie Bird, our first choice No.10, in the first five minutes of our first game so it took us a while to find our rhythm after that,” BBC coach Dan Leo told Rugby News

“I’m fairly confident that we’re there or thereabouts now but it’s taken a while and we’ve had some mixed performances during that time. 

“Fortunately though, we’ve managed to scrape some wins together and we’re still in the hunt with two rounds to go.”

BBC beat Ipswich, TSS and Brisbane Grammar in tight matches and claimed more comfortable victories over Churchie and Gregory Terrace in recent weeks. 

“Our forward pack has really stepped up and toughed out a few wins,” Leo said. 

“I also need to give credit to our strength and conditioning team because we wanted to be a fit team that ran over sides in the closing stages of matches and we’ve been able to do that in a number of games. 

“Our DNA is around our physicality and our work rate. We probably don’t have the star power of some of the other schools, but we’ve got a good group of boys who work really hard and when they get their mindset right, we can beat anyone.”

On Saturday, BBC will host Nudgee who remain undefeated but conceded 27 points at home against Toowoomba Grammar last weekend. 

If Nudgee win, they’ll likely face Brisbane State High in a winner takes all final round “grand final” on September 7, but Leo is hoping BBC can spoil the party and potentially claim a shared premiership if they win their remaining two matches and other results go their way. 

“If our set piece can stand up with theirs and if we can lift our physicality and intensity and keep it there for 70 plus minutes, then I think we’re a chance,” the coach said. 

“Looking at some of the other games this year, teams have matched Nudgee for 20, 30 or 40 minutes but dropped off after that and Nudgee have run amok in the backend of the game. 

“That period 10 minutes either side of half time is also important. We’ve been slow to start our second halves in a few games this year so that’s something we’re mindful of ahead of Saturday.”

With warm weather predicted in Brisbane on Saturday, Leo said he was hoping for a big crowd to cheer home his side in their biggest match of the season. 

“It’s also cultural round for us and we’ll have a few ceremonies before kick off to acknowledge the importance of the different cultures that make up our team and the tradition of our indigenous people. 

“Away from rugby, I work with a group of 20 indigenous borders at the school and I know they are really looking forward to Saturday as well.”

In the rounds other matches, Brisbane State High can move closer to the school’s first GPS title since 2016 if they can beat Gregory Terrace at home. Elsewhere, Ipswich face Grammar and Churchie travel to play TSS.