Waratahs preparations for a big clash with Griffith have been thrown into disarray due to COVID.
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A bus trip to Albury for their clash last week has proven costly with 17 players unavailable for the big clash at Conolly Rugby Complex on Saturday.
As such it has thrown coach Jonno Andreou's plans into disarray.
"We're trying to work through our numbers of what we have," Andreou said.
"We've got our first game of thirds on the weekend too just to make things more interesting."
George Mallat, Josh Gemmell, Harry Hayes, Dugald Grieve, Charlie Sykes, Harry Hosegood and Sibby Gee will all miss the clash against one of the three unbeaten teams in the competition.
"The Blacks are travelling well and it's even harder when there are 17 players that played the week before, when we only played two games, so that's a whole team that is out.
"We are going to be struggling."
It couldn't come at a worse time for the club who had a two-week break after round one and take on the other two undefeated teams, Griffith and Wagga City, in consecutive weeks.
"It's just frustrating when we are trying to get some continuity and all it takes is a silly bus trip to blow it out," Andreou said.
"Who knows what will happen."
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Waratahs have taken two tight wins from as many games so far this season while Griffith are three from three.
While it is all fit hands on deck for Waratahs this week, Andreou believes the weekend offers another excellent opportunity for some new faces to make a name for themselves in the top grade.
"It definitely gives the club a good opportunity to give people who might potentially have not played first grade to play first grade," he said.
"That can only be a good thing."
Meanwhile Ag College and CSU are both back in action after two weeks off for their grudge match at Beres Ellwood Oval and both are looking to bring up their second win for the season.
Whereas Albury and Tumut are both chasing their first win when they face off at Murrayfield.
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