Inwhat shapes as a genuine midseason test, the Bendigo Bank Cats will face lastyear’s minor premier the Northern Bullants at NAB Oval on Saturday.

After adisappointing loss to Box Hill, the Cats could all but secure a finals birthand set the foundations for a big second half to the season with a win.

Coach Leigh Tudor confirmed Nathan Djerrkura was still “anotherweek away” with a quad strain.

Tudorsaid the break came at a good time for the Cats, who sustained several nigglinginjuries in the loss to Box Hill.

“It wasgood to have the bye while we had a few of injuries, give the guys a week toget over them,” Tudor said.

Geelong will be without Phil Read untilround 17, after he accepted a two-match ban for rough conduct on Josh Thurgoodin the Cats’ loss to Box Hill a fortnight ago.

Read wasexpected to play in the next two rounds before missing seven matches betweenrounds 10 and 16 due to work commitments.

While notthe unconquerable force that they were last season, the Bullants are still aformidable opposition and sit in fifth with four wins.

Tudoradded that the Bullants have match winners on every line.

It willbe a tantalising battle, and particularly interesting to see how the Bullantsstructure up down back, considering the Cats are the competition’s mostprolific scorers.

Victorianrepresentatives James Byrne and Jason Davenport impressed last week and gotthrough their match unscathed.

Byrne,with over 30 possessions was arguably best on ground, while Davenport worked his way into the game tohave a big impact in the second half.

“James(Byrne) was fantastic – him and Jason were really good,” Tudor said. 

“Theyboth got a lot of the ball, but their defensive work and their tackling andtheir spoiling and that (pressure) was outstanding.  They both playedreally well.”

Tudor,who also watched the Under 23 representative match, said VFL-listed playersShane Mumford and Drew Barnes played well.

“I thought that Shane Mumford - when he was in the ruck –dominated.  He got his hand to the ball a few times,” Tudor said. 

“DrewBarnes unfortunately spent the whole day in the back pocket, it would have beengood to see him get a run on-ball, but he was serviceable as well”

In thecorresponding match last year it was 1^st Vs 3^rd andtouted as one of the matches of the season.

The Catswere fielding their strongest side of the year against a Bullants side who hadonly dropped one match for the season, but oppressive weather marred thespectacle and the Cats went on to post their lowest ever score – 2.9 (21).

“The lasttime we played there we didn’t play too well in the wet and windy conditionsand it looks like it may be similar conditions this week, so coming off a losswe want to be fired up nice and early to make sure that we get a good result,”Tudor said.

Theaction gets underway from 2pm on Saturday at NAB Oval, Preston.