RUGBY LEAGUE: With a jaunt down to the Lockyer on Sunday to take on the Gatton Hawks, the Gary Lawrence-coached Wattles Warriors top graders are more than grateful to have enjoyed a bye round last weekend to assist numerous injury recoveries.

There may have been no footy and an evening of racing at Clifford Park last Saturday to allow the Warriors players and club staff to enjoy some leisure time, but "it will be back to serious business” this Sunday according to Lawrence.

"We are almost level pegging with the Hawks on the premiership ladder and another win will see us continue in the right direction,” he said.

Wattles are perched two points behind fifth-placed Gatton on the ladder, and similarly two points behind the Warwick Cowboys, just outside the top five.

Lawrence is keen to see star halfback Matt Duggan back directing the Warriors around the park, but while Duggan is hopeful of a return against the Hawks it seems he is still at least one week away from donning his favoured number seven jersey.

Duggan, a two-time Toowoomba Rugby League Player of the Year, has also been trying to beat the injury clock to have his injured arm recovered for the QRL State Championships on the Gold Coast on June 3-4.

Up and coming talent Joe Morris will continue as the impressive link between backs and forwards if Duggan remains an absentee while Lawrence will look to the raw power of his forward pack and speed in the backs to upset the Hawks at their Cahill Park cauldron.

The two sides can be considered evenly matched, with the clash of the forwards packs well worth a ground entry ticket, pie and wet refresher.

Experienced back rower Ryan Duggan has certainly stepped up to the plate having taken on the Wattles forward leadership role of late with captain Dale Perkins appearing an injury loss for the season.

"Our finishers in Jimmy Johnson and Braydon Wilson along with representative fullback Jackson Green are in great form and if we can create room and move the ball wide the benefits are there,” Lawrence said.