The Blues have lost their last two games to slip to fourth on the Group Nine ladder and face another big test against a Temora outfit desperate to hold onto fifth place.

After losing hooker Lachlan Bristow (kidney) and back up Todd Broad (groin) in the past fortnight, Tumut co-coaches Adam Pearce and Dean Bristow have got creative as they look to fill the void.

The Blues initially named second rower Tom Warner to fill the number six jersey, which would have set up a David and Goliath type clash with Dragons coach Sam Elwin, before a change of heart.

Instead Lewis Arragon will move into the number nine jumper with Jacob Toppin to remain at five-eighth.

However Toppin is expected to play an important role from dummy half at stages throughout the clash at Nixon Park on Sunday.

Pearce believes the move will sure up their defence.

"It will tighten up our ruck and hopefully around our the middle with another good defender in there," Pearce said.

"Moving Tommy Warner into lock I think he'll play better in the middle."

With Warner's move to lock, Pearce is back in the starting side following a serious ankle injury.

He came off the bench late last week, but will get his first real test since round three.

Michael Clark also returns to the side in the centres however Dean Bristow is in doubt with a hamstring injury.

Tumut have the best defensive record in the competition, conceding 142 points in their 10 games so far, but Pearce thought the side let themselves down in that area in the 26-10 loss to Brothers.

They had a big training session on Tuesday and are looking to turn things around.

"Brothers are a pretty good team, and we knew they would be tough, but we did play pretty poorly," Pearce said.

"We just have to worry about ourselves and get back to what we were doing at the start of the year, which was playing for each other and working hard.

"We stopped working hard and trying pretty much."

Meanwhile Temora are out to ensure they keep hold off fifth place after a 42-20 loss against Southcity.

Elwin was disappointed with their second half performance, after going to the break level at 14-all, and is out to stop the impact of the big Tumut pack.

"We have to slow down their bigger boys and find a way to win the ruck," he said.

"Last week was a bit tough with a lot of fourth-tackle penalties, which we've been trying to work on."

They are just one win clear of both Brothers and Junee with Young a further point behind.

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