![Mal Aitken lit up Twickenham on Saturday with three tries in Tumut's narrow loss to Gundagai. Mal Aitken lit up Twickenham on Saturday with three tries in Tumut's narrow loss to Gundagai.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/J7tLankfguv74QY82b3G7h/03bef5cf-c2e9-4c1d-ab12-f394d7657de8.jpg/r0_47_2953_1706_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Malik Aitken is embracing his new role in Tumut's back line.
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After a couple of seasons on the wing, the speedster is making fullback his own.
He led the way as the Blues dismantled Brothers, scoring a hat-trick and setting up a number of tries for his teammates, and almost did the same again to Gundagai at Twickenham.
Aitken scored one of the best individual tries you'll see as part of his hat-trick on Saturday.
Even rival co-coach Derek Hay couldn't help but lavish praise on the 20-year-old.
"Malik Aitken was the best player on the field and scored one of the best tries you'll ever see actually," he said.
Aitken soon turned trying to get his team off their line into points after taking a one out run behind the ruck before breaking clear, getting past the fullback before beating off a number of cover defenders to score under the posts.
It means six of Aitken's eight tries this season have come in the past fortnight to sit second on the competition's leading tryscorers list, one behind Temora's Joel Kelly.
Playmaking ranks prove crucial
It's been labelled the spine for a good reason and Kangaroos are showing just how important it is.
Probably blessed with the best depth across the playmaking roles to begin with this season, being without their first choice fullback, five-eighth and hooker was very noticeable against Temora on Saturday.
With only one point from their past three games, the Wagga side has gone from first to fourth over the last two rounds.
With more than half of the season left time is certainly on their side, even with a few long term injury concerns.
But things don't get any easier with a clash against unbeaten Young at Equex Centre on Saturday.
Challenge Cup worthy of more consideration
![Temora captain-coach Josh McCrone ready to get a taste of the Challenge Cup on Saturday. Picture by Temora Dragons Rugby League Club Temora captain-coach Josh McCrone ready to get a taste of the Challenge Cup on Saturday. Picture by Temora Dragons Rugby League Club](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/J7tLankfguv74QY82b3G7h/e09b1f6a-dc1b-466d-8d4e-b964cf00e894.JPG/r0_0_1536_1428_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Is anyone really up for the Challenge?
After lying dormant for seven rounds, including the first six this season, the Challenge Cup finally sprung back into life with Temora taking it off Kangaroos on Saturday.
Dragons captain-coach Josh McCrone labelled the Bulls silly for not challenging Kangaroos when they had the chance, and when they would have come away with the spoils in round six.
Now he's implored them to try to take it off them at Nixon Park on Saturday.
And it's hard to fault his logic.
When your team is going well not only does the cup add an extra incentive but if you don't challenge have you given your rivals the psychological advantage by admitting you don't think you can win?
Hopefully we see more teams looking to win the prize this winter.
Competition keeping everyone on their toes
After six very long rounds on the sidelines (otherwise known as my couch) it's good to be getting back onto the actual sidelines across Group Nine.
And what a competition it's shaping to be.
Just one point separates the top two sides, who are yet to face off, with another three points separating the next three chasing their heels.
But you certainly can't discount anyone at this stage.
As Southcity coach Cleve McGhie said during the week the football mathematics doesn't work for this competition with a number of surprises along the way and plenty of scares to some of the more fancied teams you really have to turn up ready to play if you want to bank another two points.
Let's hope it stays that way.