HE'S been among Wingham's best at five-eighth this season however, Matt Bridge looks set to play the majority of the Group Three Rugby League season at fullback.
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Bridge will start at six on Sunday in the match against Old Bar providing he pulls through tomorrow's group game unscathed. He was the player of the match against Taree City last weekend but Wingham coach Stu Baker intends to move him to the custodian's role when Mitch Steel is available in around three weeks.
The Tigers will lose fullback TJ Rudolph after Sunday's game as he's returning to New Zealand for work.
Steel was five-eighth in Wingham's 2003 grand final winning side. He's since played football in Newcastle as well as having a stint in France. He played rugby last year.
Baker admits he isn't thrilled about the prospect of moving Bridge given the form he's in at five-eighth.
"I would have liked to give him the full season at five-eighth,'' he said.
"But this is for the good of the team.''
Bridge has alternated between five-eighth and fullback since coming into first grade. Baker said playing at the back won't alter his game too much.
"He'll be playing as a second five-eighth,'' he said.
The Tigers are unlikely to make any changes to the side that overwhelmed Taree last week with Bridge and his younger brother, Tim, the only players they have involved in tomorrow's group game.
Old Bar's roster has improved in recent weeks with the addition of Clint Walker and Tom Alchin among others and Baker is expecting an interesting game at the Old Bar Reserve.
"I didn't think they had a bad side at the start, so they'll be hard now,'' he said.
"But just as long as we can continue to improve, we'll be right.''
In other Group Three games this weekend Forster-Tuncurry meets Port Macquarie at Port while competition leaders Macleay host Port City.