Maitland juniors Jayden Butterfield, Cooper Jenkins and Cal Burgess will lead a new-look forward pack after Pickers vice-captain Sam Anderson was ruled out for the remainder of the season after a concussion against Hills.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Pickers also welcome back star halfback and another local junior Brock Lamb for Maitland's President's Cup clash against fellow regional team Western Rams at Maitland Sportsground on Saturday.
All five Maitland teams will be in action with the unbeaten women's Blues kicking off the action in Newcastle Rugby League against Western Suburbs, followed by under-19s, tier two, tier one and the main match at 3.30pm.
Pickers lock Anderson was advised by medical staff, including Univeristy of Newcastle clinical neuropsychologist Andrew Gardner, to miss the remaining games for 2020 following the head knock suffered on August 2.
Maitland will also be without prop James Taylor this week because of Queensland border restrictions. Taylor, who played with Souths Logan in the Q-Cup, is expected to temporarily relocate from Queensland to the Hunter and be available for the following weekend's away clash against Illawarra team Thirroul Butchers.
Popular wing Willis Alatini has returned home to New Zealand and forwards Pat Mata'utia and Sam Mataora are not available because of work. Right wing Elijah Rasiga is also unavailable due to injury.
Jenkins and Butterfield will start in the front row and Burgess is expected to slot into lock. Jarred Anderson will come into the starting line up and partner Marvi Filipo in the back row.
Lamb's return will see Daniel Langbridge move back to fullback and Matt Soper-Lawler and James Bradley on the wings with Gary Anderson and Henry Penn in the centres.
Faitotoa Faitotoa and Ben Ireland will be joined by The Entrance premiership player Jacob McCudden as the forwards off the bench. Elliott Jennings gets his first President's Cup game in the bench/utility role.
"I think the good thing about our pack is that we have the flexibility to move guys around on the edge and in the middle," Pickers coach Matt Lantry said. "Cooper is certainly big enough to handle the role in the middle.
"His explosive power is as good as I've seen in a young guy. He has a real powerful acceleration that not too many big fellows have got.
"Obvioulsy without Sam it is a significant loss, but it's a nice replacement that we can bring Cooper Jenkins into the middle, Faitotoa still does his job off the bench and we really don't lose too much.
"Ben Ireland has been very good for us and we bring in Jacob McCudden, who has played in the past three premierships with The Entrance on the Central Coast."