Former Manly under 20s captain Michael Fenn has linked with the Blues for the shortened 2020 season.

Fenn spent last season in the Canterbury Cup with Western Suburbs but with competition not going ahead elected to follow some family ties to Tumut.

Blues co-coach Dean Bristow believes the 21-year-old, who was a NSW Schoolboys rugby union representative, will only add to the powerful Blues pack.

"It really adds to our depth and our middle rotation will probably be the best in the comp," Bristow said. "He's another big body, who has played in some quality competitions and I think he will really put us in good stead."

Fenn's grandparents live in Tumut and the chance to play in front of them was one of the attractions of joining the Blues.

However with Zac Masters and Jed Pearce dominant in the front row last season, Jacob Sturt coming back bigger and stronger from a pre-season in the Queensland Cup and Matt Byatt impressing after linking from Albury, just where he will slot into the side remains a question.

"I don't yet but it is a good headache to have," Bristow said. "(Co-coach) Lachlan (Bristow) and I have spoken a little bit about it and we will be able to fully exert our middles.

"We probably played Zaccy and Jeddy in longer stints than we would have liked to last year so hopefully we can get out there, fully exert them and with our abundance of middles we will be able to get a good rotation system in place."

While Bristow is thrilled with the depth in the club's forward pack, strength in the outside backs is still an area of concern less than two weeks out from the start of the Group Nine season.

Ben Roddy retired following last year's premiership while Michael Clark and Josh Webb aren't playing and there is doubs over the availability of Austin McDougall.

The Blues haven't given up on adding further before their clash with arch rivals Gundagai to start the season on July 18.

"Hopefully we can pull off one of the centres we're trying to chase," Bristow said.

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