Things haven’t quite gone to plan for defending GPS premiers Kings in 2019, who remain winless after three rounds. 

Following losses to Riverview and Newington, Kings leaked a late try in a 15-14 loss to Scots at Bellevue Hill last weekend. 

“It’s been pretty disappointing coming off a successful season the year before,” first XV coach Hugh Perrett admitted. 

“It’s been a lot tougher this year than it has been in the past, but we’ve had a lot of success with our second XV who are playing for a premiership against Joeys tomorrow. 

“We’ve had a tough run with injuries, not just to our key guys but right across the squad and that’s effected our depth quite a bit. 

“Competition for spots always drives performance but unfortunately this year we haven’t had as much of that as we would have liked.”

Star back Joseph Suallii returned and scored one of Kings’ two tries against Scots last weekend, but Perrett said the scoreline possibly flattered both sides in a scrappy affair. 

“When we reviewed the game, we didn’t think we played very well and I think Scots would probably say the same. 

“It was probably a good spectacle because it was so tight but Scots dominated territory and possession and probably just turned down a few shots at goal that they should have taken.”

While their hopes of back to back premierships are over, Perrett said Saturday’s clash against rivals Joeys was a mini grand final for his team. 

Joeys are undefeated in the 2019 GPS competition and will play Scots for the 2019 outright title in the final round if they beat Kings this weekend. 

The competition leaders will be without gun No.8 Hugh Bokenham who broke his finger last weekend, but Perrett said Joeys have enough class and depth to cover the injury. 

“We’ve got to be patient in defence. Joeys have great ball retention, they’ve got some key players, a pretty silky backline and their forwards play very direct and work really hard so we’ve got to work hard, execute and take our opportunities,” Perrett said. 

“It’s going to be tough and we know what’s coming but if we play to our potential, we’ll give them a run for their money.”

The coach said an upset over their rivals would be the ideal way to send off a number of Year 12 players in their final home match at Kings. 

“We’ve only got a few senior guys but they’ve been at Kings for a long time and this will be the pinnacle of their schoolboy rugby, so it’d be great to get a win for them,” he said.

“Beating Joeys at home would be pretty special, only thing that could beat that would be beating them at Joeys so it’d be a nice memory for them to have. 

“They’re great kids so they deserve it and it they can put it together for 70 minutes, I think they’re every chance of getting it.”