Maitland Blacks coach Bobby Tynan has implemented some serious positional shifts ahead of his side’s clash with Southern Beaches at Cahill Oval on Saturday as they look to stay in touch with the top five at the midway point of the Newcastle and Hunter Rugby Union season.
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Tynan has made a handful of changes across the board with the Blacks five points behind fourth-placed Southern Beaches and four outside the semi-final positions.
The major change sees Newcastle representative James Johnston return to his more familiar role at flanker after a month-long cameo in the Blacks centres.
Johnston will be replaced in the centres by regular fullback Josh Gray, who returns from representative duties with the Australian Armed Services squad.
With Josh McCormack retained at No.15 Gray will play at inside centre and line up alongside Jye Estatheo, who made his first grade debut last start in Maitland’s 24-19 win against Lake Macquarie on May 31.
The other slide in the backs has Jono O’Toole move one wider to five-eighth with Luke Cunningham coming up at halfback from his captain-coach role in seconds.
In the forwards, with Johnston back in the mix, Nick Davidson goes to No.8 and Jono Wotton to the back row.
Prop James Curran also returns from injury and slots into the front row alongside Kurt Courtney while skipper Dan Runchel goes across to hooker with Dave Currey unavailable.
Second-rower Nathan Brennan, flanker Steve Belcher and wingers Rob Williamson and Tom Quinn will be the same as last start.
Joe Lavis and Theo Risley are the players to go back to seconds.
In other round nine matches Wanderers will attempt to stay undefeated in the first half of the year when they tackle Nelson Bay at Bill Strong Oval, The Waratahs meet Hamilton in a grand final replay, Easts host University while Merewether Carlton will observe a minute silence and wear black arm bands against Lake Macquarie at Townson Oval on Saturday in honour of Greens stalwart and former Test cricketer Gary “Gus” Gilmour who died during the week.
All matches kick off at 3pm.
BLACKS XV: 1 Kurt Courtney; 2 Dan Runchel (c); 3 James Curran; 4 Nathan Brennan; 5 Jono Wotton; 6 Steve Belcher; 7 James Johnston; 8 Nick Davidson; 9 Luke Cunningham; 10 Jono O’Toole; 11 Rob Williamson; 12 Josh Gray; 13 Jye Estatheo; 14 Tom Quinn; 15 Josh McCormack
