After suffering their first loss of the season last week – against Wests Panthers 14-6 – Past Brothers now face a Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership Round 9 top-of-the-table showdown.
They take on Easts at Salter Oval at 6pm and they are on high alert as the Magpies will be able to join them on 13 points if they are successful.
The Magpies are fresh from an 88-7 plucking of Hervey Bay Seagulls, in which five-eighth Jayden Smith had a field day, chalking up 30 points with two tries and 11 conversions.
Centre and captain Delroy Tanner wreaked havoc with four tries, and veteran lock Corey Chapman and flashy winger Sakiusa Dreunimolea each also bagged doubles.
Easts drew with a depleted Brothers 14-all when they last met on April 22 and Brothers president Mat Templeman said while they will welcome back triple premiership winning front rower Kevin Sherriff and winger Tom Kronk tomorrow, they will again be without their best player, second rower Matt Craven, who is expected to miss the following five weeks with a broken hand.
They will also be without captain and fullback Tyrell Priestley, powerhouse second rower Max Shorter, centres Connor Jones and Corey Findlay - who have been in outstanding form - and Quentin Olive.
Brothers coach Andrew Hamilton said it was an important game for them and victory would give them the inside running to the minor premiership, but they will again be relying on under 18s to fill the voids, with three of them in the side in fullback Mitchell Sly and interchange duo Jack Picaro and Junior Tuitoma.
The Magpies are still without their reigning BRL A Grade Player of the Year Andreas Nona, while fullback Trent Seeds is another big out.
Swithen Sakiki, who impressed last week off the bench at his Bundaberg and club debut, will fill the No.1 jersey.
In the early game on the program at 4.15pm, if the Panthers can reproduce their performance against the Brethren, they should be too strong for Wallaroos, who again struggled away from home, being mauled by Waves Tigers 34-6 on the weekend with hooker Sam Tobin a hat-trick hero.
Meanwhile, fallen premiers Hervey Bay will host the rampaging Tigers at Stafford Park at 5pm, and after tallying just 35 points while leaking a massive 510 in seven games played, the Seagulls’ nightmare looks set to continue.
Much is also at stake in the battle for a top three finish and a double-chance in the finals, with Magpies currently on 11 points with seven rounds remaining, Tigers on 10, Panthers 8, Wallaroos 6, and Seagulls 0.
If Magpies lose tomorrow, they will almost certainly be overtaken by Tigers – barring a Seagulls miracle – while Panthers need to win to keep in touch with the top half of the ladder, and Roos must win to keep their qualifying final chances alive.
Wests have named their strongest team so far this season, although they will be without young halfback sensation Laish Salam, while vintage veteran centre and former dual BRL A Grade Player of the Year Shaun Collins will make a welcome comeback for Roos, adding vast experience and further all-round zest.
Main image: Past Brothers' Matt Craven, pictured playing for Easts Magpies last year, will miss the match of the round.
