Fullback Jake Dooley has been put on ice as Southcity chase a place in the Group Nine grand final.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Dooley missed the final round win over Tumut with a knee injury and won’t take his place against Brothers at Harris Park on Saturday.
There are doubts over the competition’s leading tryscorer for the rest of the season, but Bulls captain-coach Kyle McCarthy said the club didn’t want to risk him in the qualifying final.
“We’re going to rest him and having the double chance we’re not going to risk him,” McCarthy said.
“Hopefully we can get the job done and he can get that extra week.”
Jordan Little retains his place at fullback but the Bulls have made a number of changes from last week’s winning team.
Jack Lyons is back on the wing after illness saw him miss last week while Jordan Shepherd and Josh Cochrane have been named on the bench.
McCarthy was impressed with how Little slotted into the side after stepping up from the under 18s.
“He didn’t look out of place at all,” he said.
“That time with the Raiders at the start of the year has done him the world of good and he looked really good.”
Southcity needed a second half comeback to down the Brethren when the teams met three weeks ago.
McCarthy wants his side to control the ball better in order to be the first team into the grand final.
“We have to complete and set the tone early,” he said.
“We can’t afford to drop the ball like we did last time and give them 18 points in the first half.”
READ MORE