In the late game at leichhardt, Belrose (6th) took on Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers. Mailangi Styles is back from a season in the UK, so Belrose will have 4 players with NRL experience in the pack but the backline had a very new look with none of the 4 backs - Tim Mortimer, James Mortimer, Tom Joseph and Todd Barrow - that played both Premier League and JBC regularly last season, missing from the line up.
Dave Marando (BRET P/L) looks set to fill the 5/8 position follwing the retirement of local legend, Richie Plummer. Also trialing in the backline were Piripi Ranga (Erina), Lee Cameron (Seven Hills) and Trent Touma, a NSW Touch rep that has played for Lebabon in 7's and previously with the reserve grade team of the Sydney Bulls. Ewan Cameon (Wests P/L) also played in the pack.
This was a quicker game than the Mounties/Wests game and BRET scored after 4 minutes. The play went back and forth up the field until Belrose scored right at the end of the first 25 munite 3rd. The second session saw BRET score twice and Belrose once to give a scoreline of 16-10 going into the final 3rd. BRET's superior fitness saw them move way to win 28-14. All the same, not a bad first effort from Belrose, who look like they could break through and make the top 5 for first time.
Jim Curtis was placed on report for a head shot that saw the BRET player assisted from the field. Curtis, who was sent off in the final minutes of the 2007 season ans has to serve a 4 game suspension, is allowed to play in the trials as they have no official status.
On Sunday, at Ringrose Park, 3 regular JBC players plus Brett Blaker, who has been signed fron The Entrance, as well as 4 Wenty lower grade players, participated in Wenty's State Cup trial against Cronulla Cobras.
This game was player over 20 minute 3rds. The only clear major breaks made in the game were by one of the Parra contracted players, halfback, James Maloney. The first got no result when the support player dropped the ball when by a defender in the ingoal, and the second resulted in Wenty's sole try. The Cobras picked up a loose ball to score next to the posts 2 minutes from the end of the game but missed the goal. Wenty 6 beat Cobras 4.