'10 TRIALS :: February 20, 21, 22

[Bazal]

Hindmarsh & Mateo didn't end up playing. Apparently Moi Moi was playing in the centers in the second half:lol:

Yup, Fui played the entire second half in the centres apparently. Hayne went off early-ish, as did Benny Smith with a suspected cheekbone fracture which is very bad news. Mortimer was (apparently, I wasn't there) taken high and had a very bad head cut that kept him out for most of the game.

Tbh, Fui playing centre should show how seriously we took the trial. Inu and Burt had cracks at fullback, we used a whole bunch of different combinations including Fui slipping in to second receiver....my god, the wheels are clearly off :crazy: I love how much people read into trials...:lol:

 

[Non Terminator]

:lol:

 

[sando88]

its 1 i only getta c it on w/e's tho f**ken whore thinks i cheated on her

 

[Ridders]

Sando's back!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Non Terminator]

How are your six brothers?

 

[Non Terminator]

Hope he likes the new mods.

 

[sando88]

i got 4 bros they r keepin good. they werent real fans of dis forum but n didnt stay

wtf who r da new mods?? i aint get no email to run things by me

 

[Big Mick]

Love the excuses from the Eels already.

Sure you were missing Hindmarsh, Mateo and Tahu...but it wasn't as if Penrith were at Full Strength. We were missing Jennings, Waterhouse, Civ, Lewis, Sammut, Blair, Coote, Pritchard (He played 10 minutes in the 4th quarter)...and still turned up.

From the line up named from the Eels it wasn't just a stuff around hit out. The intensity was there the first half...then that try at half time from Gordon broke the backs. From that point it was just like they gave up...

While trials mean absolutely nothing...the attitude and application of Penrith was to a level I have not seen the like of since 2003.

 

[sando88]

wats da difference mickee those penriff playas are missin in action all da time

 

[Ridders]

Thats the kind of straight talk that this place has been lacking without you Sando. You tell it like it is.

 

[Big Mick]

wats da difference mickee those penriff playas are missin in action all da time

Civ and Lewis missin in action? What crackpipe have you been smoking ya nice person.

 

[legend]

You people are reading way too much into trial form. It means nothing once the real season starts. It's about getting match fit and testing combos.

 

[Big Mick]

You people are reading way too much into trial form. It means nothing once the real season starts. It's about getting match fit and testing combos.

Its called stirring the pot

 

[Timmah]

Match reports...

Dragons 16 Bulldogs 14 @ WIN Stadium, Wollongong
So this is why they play trials.
St George Illawarra and Canterbury, the two teams that finished one and two on the ladder at the end of last year's NRL regular season, produced a lacklustre exhibition of rugby league which the Dragons won 16-14 thanks to a try on the bell at WIN Stadium on Saturday night.
Jamal Idris's second half double - the first coming with his first touch of the ball - looked like it had done enough to secure victory for the visitors only for Joe Vickery to cross out wide for the home side with less than a minute left on the clock.
Bronx Goodwin then secured the win with a conversion from wide out but the thrilling finish belied a poor match dominated by dropped ball and a plethora of penalties.
Both sides sent out near full-strength sides for the opening stanza but the game more resembled something you would find in park football given the litany of basic errors on display.
The highlight of the first half was actually a lowlight, with Peni Tagive, who came to the Dragons after two injury-plagued years with Wests Tigers, suffering a suspected torn cruciate ligament which could sideline him for the year.
Dragons coach Wayne Bennett could have been excused for sending the same players that played the first half back out there for another attempt at playing some decent football but he stuck to the script with a new side in new jumpers coming out after the break.
Matt Prior, who played the first half in the front row, was sent out in the centres to replace Tagive where he was marking up against 2009 rookie of the year Idris who had sat on the bench for the opening half.
It didn't take long for Idris to make his mark as he brushed past Prior for the game's first points in the 45th minute, Heka Nanai extending the lead shortly after.
Michael Lett made it 8-4 when he raced 70m after picking up a loose ball, but a spectacular bust from Ben Hannant found Idris in support as the Dogs again kicked away.
A Jon Green try 13 minutes from time revived the hopes of the home fans, their optimism justified when Vickery crashed through several defenders.
Dragons five-eighth Jamie Soward was surprisingly upbeat after the game, claiming there were enough positives to come out of the performance despite the lack of action on the scoreboard in the first half.
"I think you compare it to last year we're leaps and bounds ahead and that's holding us in good stead for round one," Soward said.
"We had plenty of ball and we created heaps of opportunities, just either the final pass or the ball slipped out - it's just one of those games.
"We're not too worried about not scoring points."
Tagive, who had his family in the sheds with him soon after being taken from the field, was still coming to terms with his injury.
"I'm still a bit shocked but that happens - I just have to rehab it this year and bounce back next year I guess," Tagive said.
"I've been in that situation a few times at the beginning of my career with both shoulders having had recos."
Asked what advice Bennett had for him, Tagive said:
"Just keep my head up, I'm only still young - just be positive from now."

http://www.nrl.com/newsviews/latest...29/dragons-too-good-for-bulldogs/default.aspx

Titans 28 Rabbitohs 22 @ BCU Int'l Stadium, Coffs Harbour
Gold Coast coach John Cartwright rated Scott Prince's combination with new five-eighth Greg Bird as the most pleasing aspect of his side's 28-22 NRL trial win over Souths at Coffs Harbour on Saturday night.
A week after playing for the Indigenous All Stars team, Prince showed the benefit of such a high standard hit-out early in the season by creating two tries with deftly weighted kicks to the left side before scoring on his own in the second half.
"I thought Bird grew as the game went on and Prince pulled the strings like he usually does," Cartwright said.
"That was probably the most pleasing aspect of the night the way those two worked with each other."
"I think when the games open up even more they'll be even more dangerous."
Souths coach John Lang opted for a second string forward pack, with Roy Asotasi, Michael Crocker, Dave Taylor and Sam Burgess all absent.
But the Rabbitohs forwards still more than held their own against an experienced Titans line-up.
Scores were level after 60 minutes before the Gold Coast scored two late tries in the space five minutes to give themselves enough breathing space over their plucky opponent.
New Souths coach John Lang admitted that he was impressed with the way the club's lesser lights handled themselves while making the step up to the top level.
"We had some young guys come on like John Kaifoto and he was coming off the bench for the Bears last year and quite a few of them made their debut at this level tonight and I thought it was a good step in the right direction," Lang said.
The crowd of 5,500 was brought to life by a Luke Capewell double but it was the controlling influence that Prince had over the Titans outfit that proved the difference between the two teams.

http://www.nrl.com/newsviews/latest...-leads-titans-to-win-over-souths/default.aspx

Panthers 32 Eels 12 @ CUA Stadium, Penrith
An undermanned Penrith upset a near-full strength Parramatta 32-12 at an NRL trial match at CUA Stadium on Saturday.
On a night the NRL went head-to-head with an AFL pre-season cup game at Blacktown, an impressive crowd of 11,113 watched the Panthers cruise to victory.
This was despite the absence of representative stars Petero Civoniceva, Michael Jennings, Luke Lewis and Trent Waterhouse.
Early premiership favourites Parramatta were almost at full strength, with Nathan Hindmarsh and Timana Tahu, the only absences from the side that is likely to line up for the season-opener with St George Illawarra on March 12.
The Panthers had all the early play, hitting the front in the fifth minute when Shane Elford crossed in the left corner, put in by a sizzling pass from Wade Graham.
They scored a second try nine minutes later, when Jarryd Hayne made an uncharacteristic blunder, dropping the ball in goal while fielding a Luke Walsh kick, with the halfback reacting quickest to pounce and put the Panthers 8-0 in front.
The Eels were sluggish throughout, with the exception of Fuifui Moimoi, who evidently hadn't been told the game was just a trial, making his impact felt when he came off the bench in the first half.
Parramatta's first try came when Ben Smith rose highest to touch down after great kick from Matt Keating on the 26-minute mark.
Leading 14-6 at half time, the Panthers continued where they left off in the second stanza, with Travis Burns scoring two tries in 10 minutes, ensuring Penrith claimed the Battle of the West Cup.
Luke Burt put some respectability back on the scoresheet when he combined cleverly with Shane Shackleton for Parramatta's second try.
However, the win came at a cost for Penrith, who lost David Simmons through a shoulder injury and Brad Tighe with a leg complaint.
Eels five-eighth Daniel Mortimer left the field with a head injury midway through the first half and played no further part, but Eels officials were confident no he had sustained no serious damage.
Smith, was also in the wars and will be sent for scans for a cheek injury on Sunday.

http://www.nrl.com/newsviews/latest...th-stun-strong-parra-side-at-cua/default.aspx

Broncos 32 Raiders 24 @ Ballymore Stadium
Sweet-stepping teenager Corey Norman upped the ante in the battle for Karmichael Hunt's vacant fullback spot with an eye-catching trial performance for Brisbane against Canberra at Ballymore on Saturday night.
Brisbane coach Ivan Henjak used the trial to experiment with his fullback options which included playing representative Israel Folau at custodian in the second half of the impressive 32-24 win.
Folau scored three tries, including one from fullback.
But Henjak would have had to have been impressed by the confidence and flair of 18 year-old Norman.
The rookie featured in two of Brisbane's early tries before scoring one himself in the second half when playing at five-eighth.
Norman served up a neat pass in the lead up to Folau's opening try in the third minute before displaying some dazzling footwork as he beat three Canberra defenders before producing a flick pass for the first of utility Ben Te'o's two tries.
Norman, Brisbane's back of the year in the Under 20 side last season, is pushing for the No.1 jumper along with Josh Hoffman, currently sidelined with an ankle injury, utility back Denan Kemp and another youngster Gerard Beale, who are all still in the mix.
After finding themselves 4-0 down early in the trial, the Raiders big men, led by Dane Tilse and Scott Logan began to get over the top of Brisbane.
Joel Monaghan scored in the right corner in the ninth minute before Terry Campese put the Green Machine in the lead 12-4 two minutes later by breaking San Thaiday's tackle close to the line.
Te'o's brace of tries in the 24th and 32nd minute however gave Brisbane a 16-12 lead at half time.
Raiders five-eighth Terry Campese revived memories of his famous uncle, Wallaby great David Campese, with two tries and four goals for 16 points to keep the visitors in the contest.
Brisbane's best were hooker Andrew McCullough who got through a ton of defence, Corey Parker, Folau, young Norman and Sam Thaiday.
For Canberra, Alan Tongue got through his usual heavy workload, while Campese was creative at times and Dane Tilse strong up the middle.
Henjak was happy with the effort of his side given they took the field without their starting halves Peter Wallace and Darren Lockyer and No.1 prop Nick Kenny.
"We've got a lot of work to do in regards to discipline and ball control but I thought the effort was really good," said Henjak.
While Henjak said young Norman hadn't done his cause any harm, he said Josh Hoffman was likely to get another go next weekend against Redcliffe.
"He's got some talent. He's light on his feet," offered Henjak.
"We're not going to get too carried away with him but he's got some class."
"He's still got to prove it under real pressure and it was only a trial game."
Norman comes from the same Gold Coast high school, Keebra Park, as Benji Marshall.
"Izzy (Folau) went pretty good at fullback too," said Henjak "but it's not settled yet".

http://www.nrl.com/newsviews/latest...e-shines-as-broncos-beat-raiders/default.aspx

Warriors 28 Cowboys 6 @ Barlow Park, Cairns
Former Test second-rower Willie Mason was more gentle giant than marauding monster in his first outings for North Queensland Cowboys on Saturday night.
Mason, 29, played half a game in the seconds' 34-24 victory over Queensland Cup outfit Northern Pride and then backed up with another 15 minutes in the Cowboys' 28-6 NRL trial loss to the New Zealand Warriors at Barlow Park in Cairns.
The 24-Test veteran failed to have much impact in the early game, dropping a couple of balls and largely being avoided in defence by the Pride runners.
A couple of bustling hit-ups during the third quarter of the Warriors clash gave a better indication of what Cowboys coach Neil Henry will want to see from his new charge.
Strong defence from both sides, coupled with handling errors on a sodden ground, kept the scores tight for much of the match before the Warriors, who looked the sharper of the two sides, raced away with three tries in the final quarter to seal the win.
The Cowboys appeared lost without Test playmaker Johnathan Thurston, who was a late withdrawal with hamstring tightness, although Cairns product Ray Thompson, Grant Rovelli and Aaron Payne all showed some promise during shared stints in the halfback role.
Henry conceded the Warriors had handled the testing conditions better than his men.
"Credit to the Warriors, they seemed to have a bit more cohesion in their attack," he said.
"We were a bit disappointed with our attack.
"I was very happy with our committed defence in the first half. We need to be a lot more disciplined on the ground. We gave away a lot of penalties."
Henry said Mason hadn't done any contact work prior to the match but he was pretty happy with his effort.
"He was blowing a bit out there, but he enjoyed it and he'll be better for the run."
Warriors mentor Ivan Cleary was pleased with his team's form leading up to the season start.
"On the whole, I was pretty happy with how things went.
"A lot of players are playing well at this stage which is a pretty good sign.
"I thought we got better as the game went on in terms of our direction and the way we wanted to play. Defensively, we were pretty strong."
Cleary said it was likely that returning Queensland State of Origin star Brent Tate would play in the trial match against Manly in Auckland next Saturday night.

http://www.nrl.com/newsviews/latest...ek-as-warriors-beat-cowboys-28-6/default.aspx

 

[thommo4pm]

Dogs dragons 0-0 first half. Second half is underway. Errors and penalties galore but good defence. hickey's been gun! Awesome crowd for a trial, about 10k IMO

It would have been about 6-7000 at best down there last night.
They never announced it though.

 

[Timmah]

The hill was pretty chock-full from my vantage point, as was the Western Grandstand.

 

[thommo4pm]

I was in the Western Concourse also, the hill wasn't overly packed and the Nth / Sth stands were light on for people.

The Western stand is only small at Wollongong and would only hold about 1500-2000 at best.

 

[Timmah]

Doesn't matter, won't be a spare seat come March 19 ;-)

 

[thommo4pm]

Doesn't matter, won't be a spare seat come March 19 ;-)

Hope you're right there mate, and would love 40,000+ in the return match in Round 10....if our sides are up towards the top in Round 10 I think we can get 40,000 + at Homebush.

 

[Non Terminator]

i got 4 bros they r keepin good. they werent real fans of dis forum but n didnt stay

wtf who r da new mods?? i aint get no email to run things by me

Have a look at the members with green usernames and "Moderator" tags.