Rue's hat-trick leads Bulldogs comeback during emotional fixture in Forbes

But if Bryce Rue's performance in the latest round of the Blowes Cup is anything to go by then the defending champions look like they might remain as strong as ever in the centres.

Rue's hat-trick played a major role in the Bulldogs comeback 38-29 victory over a Forbes Platypi outift who were looking like certain winners halfway through the match.

Bulldogs found themselves down 29-12 at one stage but fought back with a huge second half surge to maintain their perfect start to the season.

It was an emotional day at Forbes as the club commemorated the life of club legend and Tongan rugby union international Heamani Lavaka, who died aged 55 on April 22.

No-one would have doubted Rue's capacity to excel at outside centre, having already shown last year that he was capable of playing wherever needed in the backs.

His three try effort will be a major confidence builder as he and inside centre Hunter Davis look to assert themselves as a danger combination in 2024.

"I'm really enjoying it so far. It's big shoes to fill but I'll do what I can to help the team out at the end of the day," he said.

"It's been a really tough competition over the last two weeks, which is really good because it means we get to see where we're at."

Rue said it was great to see the team's fitness already being a decisive factor early in the year.

"It was a tough, physical match but being able to stay in the game for 80 minutes helped us out a lot," he said.

"We had to tough it out in the end. We didn't really help ourselves with our defence at the start but we started to put some things together in the second half."

The tough battle was one that Bulldogs coach Dean Oxley expected with the trip west.

"We knew it was going to be a hard game, not just because of the emotion connected to Heamani Lavaka and Molly Ticehurst, but because there were big bodies and representative footballers that Mahe [Fangupo, Forbes coach] has organised this year," he said.

"We were down 29-12 in the second half and I believe our fitness helped us to get over the line in the end. It was pretty warm over there and we were trying to play high tempo football while they were trying to slow it down.

"They played powerfully through the middle and we were strong on the edge. That pressure through the middle, with sides trying to open us up, is something we'll need to address."

It wasn't all great news for the Bulldogs with Josh Weekes landing himself a four week suspension for comments made on the field.

Oxley said Rue did an excellent job to cover for that loss, not only on the score sheet but with his boot.

"Bryce has certainly grown into an important member of our team," he said.

"We lost Josh Weekes so then Bryce took over our kicking game, which is something that he's done in the past. He kicked exceptional well and scored three tries."

It was also an emotional day for the visiting side, with Bulldogs captain Peter Fitzsimmons losing his father earlier in the week.

"Fitzy did well to be able to play the game. Everyone was very supportive and proud of what he did and the way he conducted himself," Oxley said.

"It was certainly more than the game in a lot of ways. The way Forbes conducted the ceremony before the game was great, with lining up abrest and asking the Levaka and Fitzsimmons families onto the field.

"With the words that were shared and the minute's silence it was quite a special day. Obviously Forbes would have enjoyed that result, and with not long to go there were in control of the match."

Bulldogs came away with victories in all four grades on Saturday.

Second grade fought hard for a 25-17 win - their first victory for the season - while the women's team were victorious 31-10 and the colts won 29-14.