The Bulls haven't been in the best of form, with two six-point wins and two losses in their last four games, but looked like a new side at Harris Park on Sunday.

They dominated for large periods of the clash before Gundagai fought back late.

Southcity altered their structure with captain-coach Kyle McCarthy switching to fullback, Luke McBeath going to hooker and Hayden Jeans starting alongside Nick Skinner and Simon Parr in the forward pack.

McCarthy thought it worked well in the 34-28 win.

"The absolutely destroyed us through the middle last time so we knew we had to be good," McCarthy said.

"I thought have McBeath at nine and all our big boys in the middle to try and stem their roll on and it worked pretty well.

"They didn't get the roll on they needed and we were able to capitalise early on."

McCarthy hasn't been thrilled with the Bulls form in the back half of the season, but thought they really got up for the grand final rematch.

In stark contrast to the round one clash, with Gundagai won 34-0 at Anzac Park, and McCarthy hopes this will be the Bulls outfit for the remainder of the season.

"I don't know if blokes are up for the rivalry but it is good to get it at this time of year," he said.

Gundagai opened the scoring after five minutes as Charlie Barton crossed out wide but seven minutes later the Bulls hit back as Jake Dooley backed up a Mitch Bennett break for a 6-4 lead.

Their lead extended as Steven Tracey crossed with 26 minutes but the game was locked up once more through Noa Fotu.

Bennett then scored a crucial try with a minute left in the half to give the Bulls a 16-10 lead at the break.

They didn't stop there with a strong lead at their backs tries to Cameron Copeland and Ben Lucas in the first five minutes had them out to a 28-10 lead.

Gundagai hit back with 24 minutes remaining as Mathew Lyons sliced through the line to score and then both teams went down to 12 men as Dooley and Tyron Gorman were sin binned as tempers flared after a Jeans high shot on James Luff.

Damian Willis got the Tigers within six points with 14 to play before the Bulls responded as a Tracey grubber kick was swooped on by Harry Lucas three minutes later.

A 60-metre intercept try from Willis with 90 seconds left got the Tigers within six, but they ran out of time to slip to second behind Tumut.

The Bulls can't finish on top but can go as high as second if they down Brothers.

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