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2022 Pre-Season Trials

League Unlimited News

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NRL pre-season trials to be broadcast on Fox Sports and Kayo in 2022​

In a major first for rugby league, fans will be able to watch the NRL pre-season trial matches live from the comfort of their own loungerooms.

Instead of an unreliable livestream on a computer, they can kick back and enjoy Josh Addo-Carr’s first game for the Bulldogs and Adam Reynolds’ debut in Broncos colours being properly televised on their wide-screen.

In what will be a major first for the code, Fox Sports is poised to secure the exclusive broadcast rights with the NRL to televise every club pre-season trial match live next February.

The NRL is preparing for the 32 club pre-season matches to be shown live on Fox League and Kayo on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights from February 18 to 28.

Negotiations have also included a radical plan to include five games on one day.

Under the proposal, the second weekend would include the launch of the NRLW competition with three straight women’s matches and an NRL trial match played before and after the women’s fixtures.

The first game could start at 1pm and the last kick off at 9pm.

A desire to offer greater focus and excitement from the pre-season has been NRL CEO Andrew Abdo’s private mission for almost two years.

And, with the backing of Foxtel CEO Patrick Delaney and broadcast delivery from Fox Sports executive director Steve Crawley, Abdo is close to that goal.

As first reported in What’s the Buzz in May, every club will play two trial matches next February ahead of the launch of the 2022 season’s first round on March 10.

Under the proposal, The Saturday Telegraph can reveal that 2021 premiers Penrith will start with trial matches against a new-look Sharks outfit and neighbouring rivals Parramatta.

Cronulla will not only launch the Craig Fitzgibbon-era but also play one of their two trial matches — against the Bulldogs — at PointsBet Stadium, the first game back at their home ground in two years.

The Sharks will unveil major recruits Nicho Hynes, Dale Finucane and Cam McInnes in their trials.

This year’s wooden spooners the Bulldogs will show off a host of new recruits including Matt Burton, Matt Dufty, Paul Vaughan, Tevita Pangai Junior and Addo-Carr.

Discussions are being held for the Dogs to play Newcastle in the first week of the trial match period before facing the Sharks.

The Raiders will play the Roosters in their first trial match of the year.

The trial matches will be played in regional NSW and Queensland.

The annual Charity Shield between South Sydney and St George-Illawarra is likely to be played in the second week of the trial period in Mudgee.

Games will be played in Mackay — where the Cowboys new halfback Chad Townsend will face Reynolds’ Broncos — and as far south as Cranbourne at Casey Fields, in Victoria, where the Melbourne Storm will host a pre-season fixture.

The Storm will play both trial games in Victoria, a return home for the first time in two years for the club.

The Saturday Telegraph spoke to the majority of clubs about the unprecedented coverage of trial matches.

The clubs are widely supportive of the concept with the majority understanding that the trial match period provides the game with a major springboard for promotion and fan engagement ahead of the new season.

NRL Trials a TV Footy Fest - What you need to know
February 18-28, 2022

10 days of NRL pre-season trial matches live on Fox Sports
Matches to be played over Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday
Every team plays two trial matches
Highlight trial matches
Panthers v Eels at Penrith...The Premiers title defence begins
Knights v Bulldogs at Newcastle...The first chance to watch the new-look Bulldogs
Rabbitohs v Cowboys in Cairns...How will Souths perform without Wayne Bennett
Titans v Broncos at Gold Coast...Adam Reynolds’ first game in Broncos colours
Sharks v Bulldogs at Bankwest Stadium...The launch pad for the Craig Fitzgibbon-era at Cronulla
Raiders v Roosters at Bankwest Stadium...Roosters star Luke Keary’s first game in 12-months

NRL trials to be broadcast on Fox Sports and Kayo in 2022 | Daily Telegraph
 

soc123_au

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30 for 30 style docos would be a great start.
As long as it doesn't involve more of the same from Matty, Fletch & Hindy I'm up for anything.

Some new talent would be good. Maybe a show with Cronk and Benji doing some in depth analysis.
 

roofromoz

First Grade
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7,580
This is probably in the realms of fantasy, but St. Helens as the 2020 and 2021 Super League premiers could come out early next year and play both Melbourne and PENRITH, and then Panthers v Storm as the third match as a World Club Challenge series, with the top team after all three matches on aggregate winning the title.

Sounded OK in my head...
 

Knight76

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Great news. Assuming they are putting up their commentators also so we don't need to listen to two blokes nobody has ever heard of getting players names wrong and putting in some pretty ordinary commentary work.
 

Timmah

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Great news. Assuming they are putting up their commentators also so we don't need to listen to two blokes nobody has ever heard of getting players names wrong and putting in some pretty ordinary commentary work.
Do you mean Charity Shield or the Fox/Kayo thing?

If you mean the latter, I imagine it's inevitable we'll have some less experienced commentary teams given most games will happen concurrently. They don't have the luxury of 8 games over 4 days like a normal round.
 

Knight76

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Do you mean Charity Shield or the Fox/Kayo thing?

If you mean the latter, I imagine it's inevitable we'll have some less experienced commentary teams given most games will happen concurrently. They don't have the luxury of 8 games over 4 days like a normal round.

Yeah the latter.

Maybe pair up a foxtel commentator with a local guy?

Hell, run a commentator of the future promotion and have them join a fox commentator at 1 game a round.
 

League Unlimited News

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Wests Tigers confirm 2022 trial match schedule​

Wests Tigers
Wed 8 Dec 2021, 11:00 AM

Wests Tigers will face the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and Sydney Roosters in NRL trial matches during February in preparation for the 2022 season.

In a win for Wests Tigers Members and fans, the trial matches at Leichhardt Oval and Central Coast Stadium respectively will feature as part of two separate doubleheaders, with the Canberra Raiders also taking part in the four-team fixture list.

Leichhardt Oval will host the team’s first trial match on Friday, 18th February, with the Roosters facing the Raiders at 6:00pm before Wests Tigers take on the Sea Eagles at 8:00pm.

The following Friday, February 25, the Raiders and Sea Eagles will then face off at 6:00pm from Central Coast Stadium with Wests Tigers playing the Roosters from 8:00pm.

Full ticket information will be communicated by Wests Tigers in the coming days, with all trial matches set to be streamed live via Fox League and Kayo Sports.

The club’s other trial matches for the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, Jersey Flegg, Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership, Tarsha Gale and junior representative competitions will also be confirmed by the club in the New Year.

Friday, 18th February at Leichhardt Oval​

6:00pm — Canberra Raiders vs. Sydney Roosters
8:00pm — Wests Tigers vs. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

Friday, 25th February at Central Coast Stadium​

6:00pm — Manly Warringah Sea Eagles vs. Canberra Raiders
8:00pm — Sydney Roosters vs. Wests Tigers

 

Vee

First Grade
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5,084
Wow! Why would the Raiders play two trials so far from their catchment?

Still, a good day out if you can get to either day.
 

flippikat

Bench
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4,378
We've really missed a chance to do a pre-season knock-out cup for 2022.. especially since we're going from 16 to 17 the year after. :(
 

I Bleed Maroon

Referee
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The Reserve grade Broncos put 50 on the 'Gulls today. Selection headaches all over the park. Oates, Isaako and Turpin will be lucky to make first grade outside of injuries.
 
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