MAKING the Blowes Menswear Cup semi finals was Orange Emus’ aim at the start of the season but they have now had to re-evaluate their goals ahead of their sudden-death finals match against Dubbo Rhinos on Sunday.

Rhinos are in their first Blowes Menswear Cup finals campaign and will host Emus on Sunday in the elimination semi-final.

Emus came from the clouds to break into the top five and had to produce a bonus point win against Parkes in the final round to finish fifth and cap off an impressive second half of the season.

The greens have won six of their last nine games to make the finals and they now have designs on winning more.

“They were pretty upbeat (after last Saturday’s win) and everyone has achieved the goal of making the semis,” Emus co-coach Mitch Staniforth said.

“We set ourselves the goal of making the finals and now our goal is to win this week.”

Emus flanker Aaron Hansen expects Rhinos to lift on Sunday in front of their home crowd and that support could prove decisive as both meetings between the two sides this season have gone to the home team.

But one thing countering that effect will be the impressive Emus forward pack.

The Emus forwards have been strong all season at set pieces and their big men have also developed a knack for scoring tries this season.

And while acknowledging the Emus forwards are continually reminding their counterparts in the backs of their try scoring feats, Hansen agrees the big men have contributed to their run to the finals.

“We’re going fairly well. Everyone just does their jobs, there is no standout,” Hansen said of the forward pack.

“When it comes down to inches and centimetres we have to get every centimetre we can.”

Emus will field the same team on Sunday that beat Parkes last week.

Rhinos are coming off an emphatic 31-6 victory over Forbes last Saturday, one which opened the door for Emus to replace the Platypi in the top five.

In the other Blowes Menswear Cup semi final, Bathurst Bulldogs host Narromine tomorrow in the qualifying semi-final with both sides after a crack at minor premiers Dubbo Kangaroos next week in the grand final qualifier.

ORANGE EMUS: 1 John Ellis, 2 Al Hattersley, 3 Mark Kingham, 4 Nick Luelf (c), 5 Nick Hughes-Clapp, 6 Aaron Hansen, 7 Scott Bouffler, 8 Keith Howarth, 9 TJ Cunynghame, 10 BJ McKenna, 11 Ben Ruddy, 12 Mitch Dansey, 13 Owen Thomas, 14 Nik Granger, 15 Joel Plummer.