Bristow, who led Tumut to the 2019 premiership alongside Adam Pearce, had hung up the boots following their 2020 grand final loss to Gundagai.

However with the Blues not having an impact on the player market despite a number of big departures, the 32-year-old is back to help the club.

"I decided to come back and help coach reserve grade but just being down there involved again one thing has led to another and here we are at the start of the season with the potential to be back in first grade," Bristow said.

Bristow is set for a different role in 2022, although one he's not entirely unfamiliar with.

Mitch Ivill, who suffered a knee injury in the pre-season, is set to remain at fullback with the Blues eyeing off a shift to the centres for Bristow.

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It's a challenge he's looking forward to.

"It's where I played in 2016 and there is a bit of a hole there to be filled," Bristow said.

"It was a pretty lean year for us that year, winning the wooden spoon, but I quite enjoyed my time there.

"I found it suited me a fair bit before making the move to fullback but it will probably suit me more now that I've got a little bit older.

"There's a little bit less running but I'll still be involved in the game out there."

Bristow has big boots to fill following the loss of representative centre Tolo Aroha-Tuinauvai, while the Blues will also be without Country representative Ron Leapai, Matt Byatt and Lewis Arragon.

Tumut co-coach Lachlan Bristow is thrilled to have his older brother, who ran the water for first grade last year, back on board.

He's hoping he can bring some more experience to a much younger Blues outfit this time around.

"He's already come in and provided a big role with us helping with our training, and he's pretty experienced so to have someone like that on board only benefits us," Lachlan Bristow said.

"After having a year off I think he's pretty keen to get back into it and he's a quality player so if need be is going to be a big inclusion for us."

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