Canberra Raiders captain Alan Tongue has backed youngster Travis Waddell to be the club's next long-term hooker, but he's not sure if he wants to surrender the No9 jersey just yet.
Tongue and Waddell have formed an unlikely dummyhalf partnership in the second half of the season.
They will again partner up against the Newcastle Knights at Canberra Stadium on Monday night.
Tongue will start at hooker, while Waddell is likely to come on around the 20-minute mark when the sting goes out of the game.
It's a partnership few would have predicted at the start of the season when Glen Buttriss and Stuart Flanagan were the club's first-choice hookers, but Tongue said the combination was working just fine.
''I've really enjoyed the role of starting there and then going back to lock once the game opens up a bit and people get a bit tired around that 20-minute mark,'' Tongue said.
''It's good to be able to bring on someone like Trav, who has got a bit of spark there, because after 20 minutes the big forwards are starting to blow a bit and you bring on Trav who speeds up the game.''
Waddell, 20, wasn't even in the Raiders' full-time squad during the pre-season, while Tongue was established as the club's first-choice lock.
But with Buttriss and Flanagan both failing to cement themselves in first grade, coach David Furner has opted to switch Tongue from his favoured No13 jersey to hooker.
If Waddell continues his impressive advancement Furner is likely to move Tongue back to lock on a permanent basis next season.
If that doesn't happen the 28-year-old said he was happy to continue starting at dummyhalf.
''I'm not too sure how Dave is going to look at it long term, but I am really enjoying spending a bit of time at [hooker],'' he said. ''It's a real challenge.
''You need to know the game plan inside out and fitness-wise you have to be on top of everything because you're racing around trying to lead the kick chase and trying to get to dummyhalf all the time.
''It's been a real challenge for me and I've really enjoyed it.
''Previously I've been able to cover at hooker and I've played plenty of minutes there throughout my career on and off, but not too much at starting.''
Tongue has taken Waddell under his wing in recent weeks. They can be seen together before most training sessions, working on their passing and kicking, or having a chat.
The Raiders skipper has been impressed with the youngster's thirst for knowledge and eagerness to improve.
They are qualities he believes can propel Waddell into the Raiders' No9 jersey long term.
''He's got the ability to, there's no doubt about that.
''With his attitude too I know he wants to play there.
''But in saying that he's going to have a bit of a job on his hands because we've got Buttriss there as well and Stuart Flanagan.
''There's competition for spots there and he'll have to work hard.
''I try to help out as much as I can with all the young guys anyway.
''Because we're playing in a similar position a lot of the times I'm out there trying to work on my passing game and it's something that he needs to work on too.
''So we just sort of team up and try to help each other out.
''His eagerness to want to improve makes it easy to go out and help someone.''
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