Stephenson's shift to half-back pays initial dividends before Tigers' clash with Bulldogs

Concerned the team's attacking raids were becoming too predictable as the central figure, Stephenson opted to remove himself altogether and shift regular key defender Brady Morton up forward, who booted eight goals in the 98-point win.

The challenge gets a bit tougher in Saturday's local derby against Turvey Park at Maher Oval, where the fourth-placed Tigers (3-3) have a chance to open up a gap against the desperate Bulldogs (2-4).

"I played the whole time down back, I think it worked well for us," Stephenson said.

"It was a bit about having more unpredictability in our avenues to goal. I probably found when I was up there myself it became a bit too predictable.

"That (another senior player down back) was probably one of the reasons, we probably generated a bit more ball movement back there and can potentially control the game a bit more.

"We're a bit lucky with the guys in our side, there's a lot who can play multiple positions.

"Brady Morton went up there and played a really good game."

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Stephenson said he hasn't settled on a permanent structure going forward, and it will be a week-to-week proposition.

"It depends on certain sides and how they line up, and how we want to line up to match that," Stephenson said."

It will be Stephenson's first taste of the rivalry against the Bulldogs, but said their build-up won't dwell too much on history.

"There probably hasn't been too much talk of the rivalry of sorts, for us it's trying to get out there and string together another four quarters of footy again," Stephenson said.

"What I've heard from a couple of boys during the week is it doesn't matter what position the teams are at on the ladder, it's always tight.

"Particularly with the two guys being positioned pretty close together, we're expecting a pretty tight game.

"The pleasing thing was probably how we won (against Narrandera) more than anything. We didn't come out in the first half and blow them away, we just each quarter by three or four goals and were consistent all day.

"That's what we've been struggling for short term in games, and long term week to week."

The Tigers will welcome back key defender Hamish Gilmore after the NAB League was postponed for a fortnight.

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