Gundagai have to call on their playmaking depth for their big clash with Temora.
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First spot is up for grabs at Anzac Park on Sunday with just one point separating the top three sides after the Tigers were held to a draw by Albury last week.
Unbeaten Gundagai are a point clear of both Young and Temora, who have both dropped just the one game to start the season.
However both side's playmaking depth is being tested, especially at hooker.
Gundagai have called upon Stephen Gill after Zac Fairall picked up a ribs complaint in the draw at Greenfield Park.
With James Luff is already on the sidelines with concussion issues, Fairall's issue is far from ideal timing.
However captain-coach Luke Berkrey is confident Gill can step up to the plate.
"He's played there for us before and will do a good job," Berkrey said.
"He's a good player."
Braith Crane is also expected to spend some time at hooker off the bench.
Temora have named a different hooker in their past three games after Hayden Lomax dislocated his wrist in their lone loss to Young.
Cody Lynch is set to shift into dummy half after Gavin Kite stepped back into the role during their win over Southcity last week.
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However the Tigers are more hopeful Latrell Siegwalt will be right to take on the Tigers despite limping off with an ankle issue last week.
The representative fullback only played about 25 minute in the draw, but has responded well.
"It's looking pretty good actually," Berkrey said.
"We'll give him to the last minute this weekend, it's probably 50-50 at the moment but (on Sunday) he had a lot of swelling which scared us a bit. That's starting to come out and he's got a fair bit of movement."
Gundagai dropped their first point of the season and both Young, who have the bye, and Temora can go around them on the ladder if they can't make it six wins to start the season.
Berkrey is looking for a better defensive effort.
"There were a few defensive decisions we weren't real happy with but we've had a great look at this week and I feel we're a lot more on top of it," he said.
"Then it's the old usual - we need to hold the ball for longer periods, especially late in halves."
Berkrey expects a very different clash this time
"It's good to see a nice, close competition and Temora is always a tough game," he said.
"They play a bit of a different style to a lot of other teams as they are a smaller team who like to use the ball a lot so they will provide a different challenge to what Albury did."
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