The Blacks are assured a spot in the finals, but with a slight hope of making third place, there is still plenty to play for, according to coach Steve Scobie.

Maitland will play an under-strength Wanderers team this Saturday at Marcellin Park and a win with a bonus point would put them level with Eastern Districts going into their match against them next week.

The Blacks will be without powerful outside centre Sam Ralph, after he sustained a broken hand in the game against Merewether Carlton last week.

Ralph’s omission will see Colts inside centre Mark Cunningham make his debut for first grade at inside centre, pushing Joe Lavis to outside centre.

Cunningham, 19, will make his debut alongside brother, half back Luke Cunningham.

“He is a powerful young fellow, I think he’ll do well. And it also gives Joe Lavis a bit more room to move at outside centre,” Scobie said.

The Blacks will welcome back point-scoring winger Tim Gibbs.

Scobie praised the work of his tight-five last week in their disappointing loss to Carlton, saying that was where the game would be played again this week.

“That is where guys like Mick Hickling, Dan Runchell and Adam Perkins come into it,” he said.

“Mick Hickling was just outstanding last week.”

It will be the Blacks first game without star number ten Matt Jarrett, who flew out this week to fulfil a second one-year contract with London club Hayward’s Heath.

Scobie said he is still seeking an adequate replacement.

“We still haven’t found someone to fill in for him, but I have a few ideas,” he said yesterday.

“We will try a few things out at training (Thursday night) and just see how we go.”

Wanderers will also be calling on reserve power as they go into the game without regular flanker Reece Hitchcock and backs Luke Sherwood and Anthony Foster.

Scobie and his team would also be praying for an upset in one of University’s last two fixtures against lowly clubs Singleton and Lake Macquarie. University are currently on the same competition points as the Blacks, but sit in fifth spot on for and against.

The Newcastle and Hunter Rugby Union announced on Monday that Easts would be the club missing from the competition when it is reduced to 10 teams in 2009.

President of the NHRU Phil Payne said that a series of on-field indiscretions were a contributing factor to their omission from the competition, but not the only one.

He maintained that after reviewing the criteria for the 2009 competition, the NHRU decided Easts nomination would be accepted.