Central welcome back key troops at crunch time of year

SIDELINES: Joey Morris playing for Central earlier this season. The hooker is one of several players poised to return for the Butcher Boys in coming weeks. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

CENTRAL coach Phil Williams hopes the return of key personnel over the coming rounds will only strengthen their push to secure a top-three position this season.

The Butcher Boys are poised to welcome back the likes of Joey Morris, Junior Roqica, Mao Uta, Ryan Walsh and Tom Madden from various stints on the sidelines.

"We get Joey back next week, Junior back next week, Mao might be [right] and Ryan might be [right] ... plus Tommy Madden," Williams said.

"There's a few troops coming back around the right time."

It comes after the Charlestown club recorded a 28-12 win over Kurri Kurri at St John Oval on Tuesday night, moving them to outright second on the Newcastle Rugby League ladder.

Central earned four competition points in the space of 72 hours, having already knocked off Macquarie 30-16 at Lyall Peacock Field on Sunday.

The Butcher Boys could have dropped as low as fifth if results went the other way.

"We hadn't played in three weeks and then we had two games in three days. That's a big effort," Williams said.

"Sunday was a big one [with Macquarie only one point behind them on the ladder] and that's not downgrading last night's game [against Kurri].

"We had a plan in place to win two out of two and we did that."

Central now face a similar schedule next week, but in reverse.

The Butcher Boys won't take the field this weekend but host another catch-up game at St John Oval on Tuesday night, this time against Lakes, before visiting Kurri on July 30. Cessnock and The Entrance await in the last two rounds.

"We've still got another big couple of weeks," Williams said.

Central (21 points) have jumped both Cessnock (20) and Souths (18) in the last few days. Maitland (25) and Macquarie (16) sit either end of the top five. The Entrance (14) are still in contention for play-offs.

Macquarie are at home to Souths on Saturday in what shapes as another crucial contest.

"It'll be a little bit clearer after this weekend, but our focus now is top three and see where we go from there," Williams said.

Meanwhile, Will Smith's end-of-season cameo with Central is now over before it began after the Newcastle-born NRL player signed with English Super League side Hull FC.

"That was part of the deal when he registered with us, we weren't going to jump in his way if he got an opportunity elsewhere," Williams said.

Smith had been in talks with the Butcher Boys, as recently as last week, after being cleared to play Newcastle RL just prior to June 30.