The Maitland Pickers will take no risks of injury to their four Newcastle Rebels representatives in giving them the ok to back up for Sunday's catch-up game against Kurri Kurri.
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Maitland's James Bradley, Matt Soper-Lawler, Jayden Butterfield and James Taylor have been selected in the Rebels team to take on Canberra at Maitland Sportsground on Saturday.
They will be joined in the rep team by Kurri's Mitch Cullen and Jarred Anderson.
"If there's any doubts that any of our boys risk injury in backing up we will rule them out, even if it is all four," Pickers coach Matt Lantry said.
"We have come through a pretty testing time with injuries, but at this time we've got to look long-term and ensuring we have as many players fit as possible for finals."
The Pickers have been able to promote from reserves and under-19s to cover a long list of injuries in recent weeks with Lachlan Matthews the latest to make his first grade debut in last Saturday's 43-16 win over Cessnock.
The Pickers also welcomed 2020 player Faitotoa Faitotoa back to the club from Queensland, signing hims last week on a contract until the end of 2023.
Lantry said Saturday's win was his team's best performance of the year.
A hat-trick of tries to five eighth Chad O'Donnell in the first 18 minutes launched the Pickers to a convincing 43-16 win and, in doing so, left no doubt about their premiership favouritism.
The Goannas had been the only side to beat Maitland this season - they won 24-22 at Maitland Sportsground in round three.
O'Donnell's hard, direct running put Cessnock on the back foot early in what was his best game of the season.
"We completed 17 of 20 sets in the first half - that's 85 per cent into a strong wind which was excellent," Lantry said.
Winger Perry Le Brocque also scored a hat trick, and in the process broke Cessnock's heart with two 80 metre intercept tries.
"That's not luck, that's great reading in defence," Lantry said.
Cessnock did well to fight their way back after trailing 16-0 after 18 minutes.
Wily veteran Liam Foran came on from the bench and gave Cessnock more width and more options.
At 23-10 at half time Cessnock weren't totally out of the match, but Maitland finished too strongly, winning the second stanza 20-6.
"Cessnock were near full strength and have a lot of good attacking players - Harry O'Brien was back, both the halves are skilful, Tyrone Roberts-Davis, their backrowers are all good players ... so yes, delighted to have won it the way we did," Lantry said.
A journo all my working life and never wanted to change, also a self confessed sports tragic.
A journo all my working life and never wanted to change, also a self confessed sports tragic.
