Matt Brady: Ex-Bulldogs coach John Hickey says side needs a skilled No 7

Ahead of Gunnedah's must-win home clash against North Tamworth on Saturday, Hickey said the club needed to convince the former Group 4 player of the year to come out of retirement next season in order to solve their halfback issue.

However, he admitted that was unlikely given Brady's devotion to his young family.

"For me, if they can find a really good halfback that could steer them around the park, I think that would certainly help a fair bit," he said.

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He added: "The young guys they've tried there have been good, but just not at the level of the halfbacks in the region."

Brady - the Bulldogs' player of the year in 2017 and 2019 - previously said his passion for the game has gone.

This week he told the Namoi Valley Independent that he had "no itch to play yet". "Still enjoying all the family time," he said, adding that he has not watched the side play this season.

Gunnedah - who have lost five straight matches - started the year with a young debutant at halfback in Nick White. He was moved to fullback for the side's last match - a 34-28 away loss to Dungowan. Skipper Reece Jaeger was used at halfback in that clash.

Regular No 1 Dylan Lake has been named at halfback for the Bears encounter, with Dylan O'Brien moving from five-eighth to fullback and White shifted to the bench.

Gunnedah's high turnover of coaches in recent years promoted Shane Rampling - the current Roos coach and a former Bulldogs mentor - to this week remark: "You only have to look at [the fact that] they've had six coaches in eight years. That's all I'm gonna say."

The Bulldogs surprisingly axed Rampling after he led the side to the 2014 grand final.

Hickey was a one-year appointment who coached the side to the preliminary final in 2019, after Sean Hayne was dumped following the side's narrow 2018 grand final loss to the Bears.

Gunnedah's latest coach, Mick Schmiedel, replaced Hickey and has admitted to being out of ideas. After Boggabri beat Gunnedah for the first time in 57 years last month, Schmiedel said he was "bewildered".

"We're just not handling the pressure, but I haven't got any more answers," he said at the time. "I've been a coach for 30 years, but will probably go down as Gunnedah's worst ever coach."

A Gunnedah side featuring a host of youngsters will attempt to reverse their form slide when they confront a vulnerable third-placed Bears, who have have lost four matches this season including a last-start home loss to the Roosters.

Schmiedel said he had selected "about five kids" aged under 20 for the Old Boys Day encounter.

"It's going to be a big ask with no big boppers [in the side]," he told Group 4 Media, referring to forwards leader Lincon Smith and Jacko Brookman.

"It's totally changed how we play ... It's going to take a big effort against Norths, but the boys are up for it."

Bulldogs winger Tom Randall will make his first-grade debut on Saturday.

The NVI approached Bulldogs president David McCann for comment.

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