NRL 2024: Seven questions week two of the pre-season challenge will answer ahead of round one
With week one of the trials done and dusted, we take a look at the decisions and selection calls from this weekend’s pre-season challenge action and how it will shape round one.
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With week one of the trials done and dusted, we take a look at the decisions and selection calls from this weekend’s pre-season challenge action and how it will shape round one.
1. Will Cameron Ciraldo unleash Stephen Crichton, and where will the marquee recruit play?
Ciraldo could be tempted to keep Crichton wrapped in cotton wool ahead of round one with the three-time premiership winner picking up a minor quad injury last month. If the coach does pull the trigger, the next conundrum is where does Crichton play? Having Crichton at your disposal but going with Blake Taaffe at fullback will raise plenty of questions. Yes, Crichton is one of the game’s best centres and unproven as a fullback at NRL level. But the club, and fans, will want a return on the $800,000 per year investment … which will look like a bargain if he can make the adjustment at the back and transform into a game-breaking fullback like Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell.
There’ll be as much intrigue about who plays at centre with Bronson Xerri and Connor Tracey in the mix, and of course who wins the utility role. Kurt Mann, Blake Taaffe, Jaeman Salmon and Tracey will be in the running if they don’t win a starting spot.
2. Will Jack Cogger start for Newcastle in round one?
Jock Cogger, the man who unlocked Nathan Cleary in the 2023 grand final, is being forced to audition for the no.6 jumper to partner Jackson Hastings in the halves. Knights coach Adam O’Brien will use Saturday’s trial against Melbourne as a final audition for Cogger and Gamble. It might be tempting to use Cogger off the bench, like Penrith did in the grand final, in the hopes he could emulate the same outcome week in week out. But if O’Brien is looking for an injection of energy from the bench, that is a role better suited to Gamble.
3. Will Shane Flanagan persist with Zac Lomax on the wing?
Zac Lomax needs to be closer to the action, at fullback, as one of St George Illawarra’s genuine strike weapons. Flanagan also agreed Lomax’s involvement needs to increase during the pre-season, almost teasing that the 24-year old would make a permanent switch to fullback in 2024 – so watching him on the wing last weekend left Red V fans perplexed. Tyrell Sloan is a player of the future but the Dragons need results now or at least to show signs of improvement early. Sloan had a mixed bag in the Charity Shield, drifting in and out of the game and lacked impact running the ball back and making costly errors. It should be enough for Lomax to leap ahead of Sloan in the fullbacks pecking order with the latter given a run on the wing.
4. What will Justin Olam bring to the Tigers?
Olam will be given the green light to take the field against the Dragons on Friday night after spending the summer managing a pre-existing knee injury. Olam was scheduled to play his first game for the Tigers in round two’s season opener but is expected to test out the knee this weekend. While it’s only a trial match, it’s the first opportunity for the former Melbourne title winner to prove he still has the ability that made him one of the most feared centres in the game. His fearless running from the back field and ability to read defences should be an instant boost for Benji Marshall’s back five. It’s also a chance to see Olam up against some of the club’s up and coming talent, like Josh Feledy, who is also vying for a round one spot alongside the Starford To’a. Declan Casey, who suffered a sickening head knock in week one, has been ruled out with concussion.
5. Is Jack Bostock’s round one wing spot under threat?
SuperCoaches will keep a close eye on Jack Bostock in Saturday’s clash against the Warriors with the winger’s rush in defence last weekend raising questions about his round one selection for the season proper. Bostock combined well with Jake Averillo when he came onto the field at left centre after starting on the bench. It was expected that Bostock and Tesi Niu would battle it out for left wing but it also appears Niu is also in the running at left centre after starting ahead of Averillo. It’s an interesting move given Averillo has made no secret of wanting to shed the utility tag and forge a career at centre. It has set up a three-way battle for the left edge that no one would have expected coming into round one.
6. Who will emerge as Parramatta’s x-factor?
Talk of Parramatta wanting to sign an x-factor to help facilitate Clint Gutherson’s move into the centre sent tongues wagging. But what if the answer to Parramatta’s x-factor is not on the open market but right under their noses in young gun Blaize Talagi, who was named at fullback in the first trial. Talagi isn’t ready to usurp Clint Gutherson as Parramatta’s x-factor answer but injecting the youngster where he is more comfortable, at centre, could be the answer. His ability to create as a playmaker could also come to the fore. Will Penisini has a lock on one spot with Bailey Simonsson and Morgan Harper to battle it out for the other spot. If Talagi has more x-factor potential than either Simonsson and Harper it makes sense to accelerate an NRL debut for the youngster
7. Can Titans recover from losing David Fifita until April?
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui said it plain as day, if the Titans were going to return to finals footy in 2024 then Fifita would be the key in a surge up the ladder. But can the Titans make up ground on the five weeks Des Hasler is expected to be without both Fifita (pectoral) and Jayden Campbell (patella) Keano Kini has Campbell’s no.1 jumper secured, while Jacob Alick and Klese Haas will battle it out for Fifita’s edge spot. Hasler’s first big team change will also be put to the test when AJ Brimson makes the move into the centres in a bid to add another dimension to the Titans’ attack. Brimson’s attack is a known commodity but it’s his defence in a new position that will be put under the blowtorch on the weekend.
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Originally published as NRL 2024: Seven questions week two of the pre-season challenge will answer ahead of round one
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