Jeffries swaps boxing gloves for chance to return to rugby league with Brothers

Jeffries will play first grade for the first time in more than seven years after being named at fullback for Brothers.

Wanting to get a few games under his belt, Jeffries returned to the Wagga club and was certainly surprised by his call up to face Kangaroos at Equex Centre on Saturday.

"I've been boxing for the last three or four years so if I was going to play in the knockout at the end of the year I wanted to have a couple of games," Jeffries said.

"Brothers was the last club I played with so I went back last week and played reserve grade and got the call up to sit (on the bench) for firsts.

"The body wasn't quite feeling it at the time but (Brothers coach Aaron Gorrell) has asked me to play for the remainder of the year so I've taken that on."

His uncle Wilfred Williams, who is also his boxing coach, sparked his interest in returning to league with plans to have a team in the Queanbeyan Canberra Knockout later this year.

He feels it also provides more of a social outlet.

However Jeffries certainly isn't walking away from the ring after continued success.

He's won two NSW Amateur Light Middleweight titles and most recently claimed the Regional Riverina Light Middleweight belt in February.

"I'm just having a couple of months off for the time being," Jeffries said.

"I've been pretty flat out the last four years competing full time and I've been pretty successful with the boxing as well.

"I'm just having a break and in my off-season just playing a couple of games."

Jeffries grew up playing rugby league, including representing Country under 18s, before moving to Wagga.

He enjoyed getting back to it, even if it requires a very different approach.

"I've had to put a few kilos on to come back to football," Jeffries said.

"The whole environment is different. The impact on the body is different as tackling is a lot different than getting punched but it didn't take long.

"I've played rugby league my whole life as well and the muscle memory is still there."

Brothers are coming off their second bye in three weeks with French speedster Melvin Quiroga also returning from injury.

He hasn't played since starring in the Wagga club's lone win in their return to first grade this season, but Gorrell has elected for Jeffries to start at fullback with Qurioga shifting into the centres.

Jeffries has impressed Gorrell so far and he also thinks it provides the side with the best balance.

"He's been impressive and at the back with his ball playing and footy knowledge he can hopefully create some stuff out the back," Gorrell said.

"We also haven't had genuine centres all year so for the team it's probably our best mix for now and with him (Quiroga) coming back from a hamstring the workload at fullback is probably a bit much.

"We want to ease him back into it and move just one side."

Gorrell is happy with how the team heads into the clash with their crosstown rivals.

"I think it is a pretty strong squad, one of the strongest we've named and the two byes in three weeks have probably helped with that,

"We're rested and ready to rip in on Saturday."

Brothers have had a tough return to the top grade with just the one win from their first eight games.

However Gorrell expects to see a lot of improvement in the second half of their season, starting with a game against Kangaroos who took a 78-6 victory over them in round two.

"There's probably only been two games we haven't really competed in, that was Kangaroos to start and then against Tumut," he said.

"All the other games we've been in it for most of it and then fell away for whatever reason, whether it's game management or maybe a lack of footy smarts, but we've found ways to lose those close games.

"We've made a couple of changes structure wise so I think the balance will be better for us."