Cootamundra have lost one of their most promising young forwards with Wayne Parker linking with Orange Hawks.
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Parker has moved to Bathurst for work, but will play under former Albury premiership winner Willie Heta at the Group 10 heavyweights in 2020.
The young lock was initially linked with former Young captain-coach Luke Branighan and his new club Canowindra.
Bulldogs co-coach Aaron Byrne admitted he will be a big loss for the club looking to regroup after a horror season.
"It's a pretty big loss and definitely this season and last year, in the bits of first grade he did play, he was one of the best forwards we had," Byrne said.
"It is a big loss especially being someone so young and being a local it hurts a little bit."
However he is pleased the young gun elected to test himself in another strong competition.
"It's good he's going to play in Group 10 instead of the pub comp," Byrne said.
"He's a good kid Wayne with a good attitude but it won't hurt him to step out of his comfort zone."
Heta is pleased to have Parker on board.
"In Wayne's case I think he was directed to the club by Luke, who said he'd been a good fit here at Hawks," Heta said.
"He's actually living in Bathurst and travelling across, but he comes with good reports too."
Parker joins the club alongside former St Mary's prop Tom Romer.
With the shift for work Byrne was already preparing for be without Parker.
However it is not all bad news for the Bulldogs with Jarryd Cook returning to the club.
Cook played for the Indigenous All Stars in 2017 but hasn't played footy in a couple of years after moving to the Northern Territory.
Byrne expects he will be a good addition to the back line.
"He's been missing for the last couple of years but is coming home for at least the next 12 months," he said.
"It will be pretty handy as he plays anywhere in the back line, which is where we are a little bit short."
Cootamundra have already brought in two new faces from New Zealand, halfback Jordan Coleman and front rower Caleb Tohovaka.
Byrne is hopeful of picking up a couple more signings as they look to move off the bottom of the ladder in 2020.
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