BY BRETT KEEBLE
4/03/2009 4:00:00 AM
THE Brian "Chicka" Moore Bowl will be up for grabs at Lyell Peacock Field on Saturday when the Macquarie Scorpions host NSW Cup club Newtown in a pre-season rugby league trial.
A former City, NSW and Kangaroos centre, Moore played for and coached Newtown and Macquarie during his career and will be at Toronto on Saturday to present his eponymous trophy to the winning team and to catch up with old friends.
Moore played with Newtown from 1961 to 1973 and, though he never played a Test match, was the leading tryscorer on the 1967-68 Kangaroo tour.
He coached Newtown's first-grade team in 1983, which was the club's last season in the top-flight NSW Rugby League premiership, and was captain-coach of Macquarie in 1974 and 1975 before coaching Western Suburbs Rosellas.
The game will hold extra significance for Macquarie coach Mal Graham, who played for the Jets in 1982 and 1983.
As a feeder club to the Sydney Roosters, Newtown will field several Roosters first-graders who will not be required for their first-round NRL game against South Sydney at the Sydney Football Stadium on March 15.
"Chicka was probably born under the wrong star because he played at a time when he had to contend with blokes like Graeme Langlands and Reg Gasnier," Newtown spokesman Glen Dwyer said.
"We'll definitely be at full strength as the match is a full dress rehearsal for Newtown's first NSW Cup competition match for the following weekend.
"As the partnership club of the Sydney Roosters, we'll have several Roosters NRL squad members playing with us against Macquarie, but they are yet to be named."
The game will kick off at 4.30pm.
