PORTLAND will make the trip to Cobden today to face the Bombers in round six of the Hampden Football League season, and all eyes will be on how senior coach Jarrod Holt’s men come out the gates.

The emphasis which has been deservedly placed on this side of having a strong start cannot be overstated, as in four out of their five matches this season they have conceded large first-quarter deficits and been playing from behind for the rest of the game.

The Bombers themselves have had a bit of an up and down season, as after starting 2-0 they’re now on a three-game losing streak, but Holt said that’s no reason to underestimate them.

“They’re a strong side this year, they’ve had a number of new players come through… so I think they’re taking some time to get settled, hopefully that’s still the case this week,” he said.

“The key is going to be if we can get ourselves in the game early, if we can find a way to do that, we’ll be alright.

“There’s certainly no reason for us to count ourselves out if we’re ready to go at the start, we’ve shown we can match it with good teams like in last week’s game against North Warrnambool.”

The Tigers made some alterations to their pre-game preparation last week, going as far as making a change in the change-room music to see if that could provide a spark, with Holt saying those kinds of things can have a psychological impact.

“If we find something that works, we’ll stick to it… unfortunately I think I’ve lost music-selection privileges after last week,” Holt said.

“It’s all a bit of fun, but anything we can do to help our preparation.”

The last couple of matches have seen Holt select Toby Oakley as the side’s primary ruckman, with youngster Charlie Piergrosse slotting into the under-18.5s for the time being.

“We like the physicality and leadership that Toby brings… it’s certainly not a knock on Charlie, he has shown a lot in his time in the seniors,” Holt said.

“It’s a long year if you’re a bottom-age under-18s player playing seniors… the intensity of the game is a lot, and we don’t want to run him into the ground.

“I’m confident he’s got some more senior footy in him this season, and obviously he’s got a very bright future.”

Portland will be at Cobden Recreation Reserve today, with the senior game set for a 2pm first bounce.