What role Pani Manawatu will play for Southcity throughout the Group Nine finals series is up in the air.
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In another blow for the ladder leaders, Manawatu’s future is clouded due to changing work commitments.
With a new job up in the mines in Queensland, the crafty hooker will split his time between Wagga and Toowoomba for the remainder of the season.
He’ll miss the next two games, against Junee and Tumbarumba, but will be back for the final two games of the home and away season.
However, captain-coach Nick Skinner said the club is still in the dark over what it will mean come finals.
“Unfortunately for us, but good him he’s taken on a job opportunity in the lines up in Toowoomba," Skinner said.
“We have known about it for a fair few weeks now but he starts this week and it’s two weeks on, two weeks off.
“So we won’t have him for this week or the next week but have him for the following two weeks after that.
“As far as the finals go I don’t really know.
“We are going to try and figure something out there.”
It’s one of many changes for the Bulls as they prepare to tackle the Diesels at Laurie Daley Oval on Saturday.
Skinner will miss the clash due to a hamstring complaint while fullback Jake Dooley is also out after sustaining rib cartilage damage in the big win against Gundagai on Sunday.
Skinner is expected to miss a week or two due to a slight hamstring tear while the club is still waiting for more news on Dooley’s issue.
That’s added to season-ending injuries to replacement forward Josh Cochrane and winger Jesse Greenway which were confirmed on Monday.
It means Steven Tracey will get his first chance at the fullback role with Matt Tullberg coming up from reserve grade to take his place on the wing.
Mitch Bennett also comes back into the team in the centres with Thomas Besgrove moving to halfback to cover Kyle McCarthy who has moved to hooker to replace Manawatu.
Jordan Shepherd has moved from lock to front row to cover Skinner with Luke McBeath coming off the bench and into 13.
All in all it is four player changes plus another five positional changes from the team who crushed the Tigers 50-10.
Despite all this, Skinner believes the club has enough depth to handle the changes.
“Hopefully we will be right," he said. "There are plenty of good players there.”
Skinner has confirmed he won’t coach the Bulls again next season but won’t be leaving after committing to a player-only deal.