WITH Tumbarumba needing a football saviour, swashbuckling centre Robbie Byatt is considering a rugby league homecoming in a bid to bolster the Greens' prospects of rising up the Group Nine table next year.
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After two years away playing in the powerful Canberra domestic competition, Byatt is very much on the radar to return to the hills club in 2015.
Byatt is among Tumbarumba's best league products, and has played for Queanbeyan Kangaroos for the past two years.
However, newly reappointed Tumbarumba captain-coach Aaron Sweeney yesterday dropped the bombshell that Byatt was toying with a comeback to his home-town team.
Speaking to The Daily Advertiser, Sweeney revealed Tumbarumba was in the running to get Byatt back on the books.
"There's nothing definite by a long way," Sweeney said.
"There's a chance he might (play in 2015).
"We just don't know yet."
The news Byatt is in the mix to play for the Greens next year is a massive step forward for the battling club.
Before leaving town, Byatt developed a first-rate resume, including representing Group Nine and Riverina. Byatt's football stocks rose even higher when he was selected in the Canberra regional representative team, putting him in the eye of Country selectors.
With Byatt playing in the centres, Queanbeyan Kangaroos made the Canberra Raiders Cup semi-finals, but lost to Goulburn Workers in the preliminary final at Seiffert Oval on August 31.
Despite no firm deal on the table, the odds seem stacked in favour of Byatt jumping back on board with the Greens, particularly as his brother Matthew is staying with the club.
Amid rumours Matthew Byatt may leave, Sweeney yesterday confirmed the winger-turned-prop was sticking around. "He (Matthew Byatt) played some really good footy this year," Sweeney said.
"I'm sure he'll play good footy next year too."
For Sweeney, the prospect of the Byatt brothers being reunited in 2015 will lessen the impact of losing crack hooker Joss Cleal.
In a not unexpected move, Cleal has quit the Greens to sign to play on the north coast next year, with Greens teammate Sam Everett tagging along as well.
Brushing aside Cleal's departure, Sweeney yesterday admitted the Greens would approach the new Group Nine season with "optimism".
"We'll be looking to make the finals," Sweeney said. "It will all depend on our consistency. We need to produce our best week in and week out."
Yet again, Tumbarumba is set to rely on a core group of Fijian players next year to provide some much-needed backline speed and dash.
Sweeney says the club is also looking at other options to give the team a solid shot at climbing the ladder in 2015.
Tumbarumba won six of 16 games in the past season, but were highly competitive in others.
"We'd play well for 60 minutes," Sweeney said.
"We need to play well for 80 minutes."