KNIGHTS coach Rick Stone is no closer to settling on his halves for the first game of their NRL campaign after all the contenders staked legitimate claims in Newcastles comprehensive 32-10 victory over Cronulla in the pre-season trial at Muswellbrook on Saturday night.
Stone is deliberating between using Ben Rogers or 2009 National Youth Cup player of the year Beau Henry at five-eighth with halfback Jarrod Mullen for the season-opener against Penrith at Centrebet Stadium on March 13.
Henry and Mullen started against the Sharks and were impressive, helping Newcastle establish a 10-0 half-time lead to set up the six-tries-to-two win.
Rogers came off the bench and set up second-half tries for Shannon McDonnell with a deft offload and Junior Sau with an in-goal grubber kick.
Further clouding the picture, Stone switched captain Kurt Gidley from fullback to the halves for a short stint in the second half.
No injuries is important, a bit of continuity is good but it probably doesnt help our halfback scramble that everyone will be asking me about, Stone said.
Well have a look at the tape and see what we think of Beau Henry and Mullo and possibly even Kurt playing a bit in the halves.
I was happy enough with Beau and Ben and Shannon McDonnell did well too, so I think Ive got more headaches coming out of the game than I did going in from a selection perspective.
I thought defensively we grew a little bit better and we grew with some momentum and confidence as the game went on.
I think theres always plenty of work to do in attack at this time of year.
The Knights cleared out to lead 22-0 before the Sharks posted their first points in the 61st minute, when fullback Nathan Gardner finished a second-man play to touch down out wide.
Sau and former Sharks hooker Isaac De Gois both scored their second tries then Matt Wright added a consolation try for Cronulla in the final minute.
Rogers, who had a blood test last week to determine the source of a knee injury, showed no ill effects and said he had done all he could to push for a start against his junior club.
Theres no more trials. Weve been talking about it for a while so as you say, theres nothing else I can do, said Rogers, whose 2010 season finished in July when he tore ankle ligaments against the Cowboys.
Both my knees are fine and Ive pulled up with no injuries.
My ankle is a little bit stiff but thats how it pulls up after every game, so Im good to go for round one. Im available for selection.
Henry, who also played in trials against Penrith and Fiji, said the competition for positions was healthy.
The pre-season has been really good and I think Benny Rogers, myself and Mullo have all played some good footy, so its not going to be an easy thing to get into first grade here and that can only be a good thing for the team, he said.
Mullen said the players had taken confidence from their pre-season performances and results.
Sharks back-rower Jeremy Smith was reported for the alleged tripping of Knights prop Antonio Kaufusi in the 50th minute.
KNIGHTS 32 (J Sau 2, I De Gois 2, A Uate, S McDonnell, tries; K Gidley 3, W Naiqama goals) SHARKS 10 (N Gardner, M Wright tries; T Smith goal) at Olympic Park, Muswellbrook
Half-time: Knights 10-0
Crowd: about 4000 Referees: Shayne Hayne, Henry Perenara
