The Hawks have only won away from Tuncurry once this season – the last time they played the Bulls at Taree.

“A few of my boys get travel sickness,’’ Pettit joked.

The first occasion the Hawks played at Taree at the Neal Oval this year the Bulls prevailed 52-0.

Pettit took the reins as coach the following week, capping a tumultuous time for the club that started with the resignation of coach Troy Hilder.

Pettit agreed it has been a difficult season at times but he praised the commitment of his players.

This was his return to senior coaching for the first time in more than a decade.

“I’ve been lucky, there are quality players at this club who want to play football,’’ he said.

The Hawks expect to be at full strength for the contest although Pettit will check the fitness of halfback/five-eighth Blake English.

If he’s back Kye Carmady will come into the team.

English is also the first string goal kicker and Ben Murray will assume the duties if English is sidelined.

Veteran prop Matt Kirkland has recovered from injury and is a definite starter.

“He could have played at a pinch last week, but we saved him for the semi,’’ Pettit said.

While the loss to the first round to the Bulls was Forster’s nadir, Pettit agreed a last gasp second round win against Taree at Tuncurry helped turn the season around.

“We gained a lot of confidence from that,’’ he said.

“And we’ve been lucky to win a few close games at home.’’

He acknowledged that the Bulls have had problems in the last month leading into the semifinals but added the Hawks also lost the last two games of the premiership-proper.

He doesn’t think recent form will count for much when the contest begins on Saturday afternoon.

“They have some good players,’’ he said of the Bulls.

Pettit was non-committal as to whether he’ll seek the job again in 2017, saying he’ll get 2016 out of the way before making any decision.

“I knew this was going to be a challenge. I’ve enjoyed it, but I don’t know about next year,’’ he said.

Versatile Myer answers the call

WINGHAM will call on the side’s Mr Fixit – utility Brodie Myer, to replace representative centre Tim Bridge for Sunday’s Group Three Rugby League preliminary final against Port City at Wingham.

Myer has played from fullback to hooker for the Tigers this year and captain-coach Kurt Lewis said he hasn’t let them down on any occasion. He was hooker last weekend when Wingham defeated Forster-Tuncurry 32-18 to claim second spot and so earn a home semi-final on Sunday.

He’ll step in for Bridge who sustained an ankle injury against the Hawks.

“We're hoping Tim will be right for next week,’’ Lewis said.

"But Brodie will do the job – he’s been our player of the match for the last three weeks.’’

Myer, a club junior, returned to the Tigers this season.

Port City have beaten Wingham on the two occasions they’ve met this year but both were close run affairs. In fact Port scored the winning try with less than a minute on the clock on in the last game at Port Macquarie.

“In both matches we were the better side for 79 minutes,’’ Lewis claimed.

Both sides have match winners in the backline, but Lewis said the Tigers will have to keep Port’s formidable forwards in check if they are going to advance to the major semi next Sunday.

“We have to get a roll on up the middle before we look to go wide,’’ Lewis said.

The Breakers will be bolstered by the return of representatives Mitch Fowler and Daniel Dumas. Both have missed sizable chunks of the year through injury, however, Lewis said both are quality players with plenty of big match experience.

Lewis claims the Breakers ‘aren’t the fittest teams.’

“They do compress a lot,’’ he said.

“And they do leak a lot of points – even when they've had big wins.’’

He also believes the Breakers are vulnerable on the edges. However, Lewis acknowledges the Breakers are capable of scoring plenty of points and said the Tigers can't give centre Clint Walker any room. Lewis has played a lot of football with Walker at representative and club level.

“We’ll have to be on our toes in defence,’’ he said.

He’s expecting the Tigers to enjoy plenty of home town support.

“This will be the biggest game some of the younger boys in our side have played. I hope they don’t get overwhelmed,’’ he said.

Winner will meet minor premiers Port Macquarie in the major semi-final next Sunday. The loser will take on either Forster-Tuncurry or Taree City in the minor semi on Saturday.

Bulls battle to name a side

BELEAGUERED Taree City coach Gary Bridge had to delay naming his side for Saturday's Group Three Rugby League elimination semi-final at the Jack Neal Oval against Forster-Tuncurry until last night’s training session.

The Bulls – still reeling from last Saturday’s capitulation in the last round fixture against Old Bar – have just about run out of players. It has been confirmed that winger Todd Northam won’t be back again this season after injuring his shoulder against the Pirates.

Bridge admitted his side will have to improve immeasurably on last week’s effort to be still in contention after tomorrow’s match.

“That’s taking nothing away from Old Bar – they out enthused us, out sledged us and out played us,’’ Bridge said.

“If we repeat that performance 2016 is done and dusted.’’

The Bulls go into the game on the back of four successive losses.

“The last win we had was against the minor premiers (Port Macquarie),’’ Bridge pointed out.

Bridge will have promising utility player Dean Mills available for tomorrow and he’s expected to play fullback. The Bulls will also make changes to the backline, with Matt Everitt tipped to move from hooker to his representative spot at halfback and Luke Murray moving back to his accustomed role at hooker.