NRL clubs back to training to kick start preparations for 2020 season
One of Canterbury’s greatest was on hand to see Dean Pay’s side start the long climb out of the NRL doldrums at a brutal pre-season session. See which clubs are back on the paddock.
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Here they are, the first Sydney NRL team sweating it out in summer, just 24 hours before the Melbourne Cup.
The Bulldogs hit the training field for the first time on Monday at Belmore Sports Ground to start preparations for the 2020 season.
A 15-member group of Canterbury rookies – including Jake Averillo and Jackson Topine - trained between 10am and 11am to begin chasing their NRL dream.
Averillo, an outside back, is a local junior who played in the Bulldogs’ Canterbury Cup side and has been awarded a top 30 contract.
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Bulldogs legend Terry Lamb was at Belmore, talking to young players and club high performance manager, Tony Ayoub.
The extended 2019 season hasn’t even finished yet with three Oceania Cup Tests to be played – PNG v Fiji and New Zealand v Great Britain, both on November 9 in Christchurch, and PNG v Great Britain at Port Moresby on November 16.
Yet here was Canterbury, Gold Coast and North Queensland returning to training for next season. Newcastle are back tomorrow under new coach Adam O’Brien.
Canterbury need success having won just 28 from the club’s past 72 games, a winning success rate of 38 per cent.
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The Bulldogs have missed the finals for the past three seasons, finishing 12th, 12th and 11th. The club’s last premiership was back in 2004.
“It’s a big season for Canterbury – the club is built on success so missing the finals for three years is difficult to digest,” said Canterbury legend, David ‘Cement’ Gillespie.
“I know exactly how proud this club is and I know the high expectations fans have on the teams’ results each season.
“But Dean Pay had them firing toward the back-end of last season so I think good times lie ahead at Belmore. I see the young kids have already started back. The club is building nicely toward another successful era.”
Pay added: “Our boys have had a really good break – they have all been away and I have spoken to a few of them. They are ready to come back.
“But we are staggered. We have young blokes coming in (today) but the older blokes don’t start for another couple of weeks.”
Penrith and St George Illawarra have players back to raining next Monday. Lower tier Wests Tigers players return on November 17, senior players a week later.
International players contesting the Oceania Cup won’t return to training until early December. Clubs will give players another extended break over Christmas.
Meanwhile Canterbury five-eighth Kieran Foran will have an MRI scan on an injured shoulder on Tuesday.
Foran sustained the dislocation playing for New Zealand against Great Britain on Saturday in Auckland. X-rays have shown no fractures.
Specialists say Foran could be out for three to six weeks with a minor damage to the cartilage but between three to six months if the injury is significant and requires reconstruction surgery.
Canterbury has announced the club’s top 30. They are: Adam Elliott, Aiden Tolman, Brandon Wakeham, Chris Smith, Christian Crichton, Corey Harawira-Naera, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Dean Britt, Dylan Napa, Isaiah Tass, Jack Cogger, Jake Averillo, Jayden Okunbor, Jeremy Marshall-King, Joe Stimson, Josh Jackson, Kerrod Holland, Kieran Foran, Lachlan Lewis, Marcelo Montoya, Morgan Harper, Nick Meaney, Ofahiki Ogden, Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Reimis Smith, Renouf To’omaga, Sauaso Sue, Sione Katoa, Will Hopoate
Club’s development players: Tui Katoa, Matt Doorey, James Roumanos, Tyrone Harding, Sebastian Winters-Chang.
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FIRST CLUBS BACK TO TRAINING
Canterbury: About 15 rookie players return Monday morning. Senior players back Wednesday, internationals to return early December.
North Queensland: Return Monday in Townsville.
Penrith: Back next Monday.
St George Illawarra: First group return next week, starting Monday.
New Zealand: Group of rookie players returned on Friday. Senior players back in waves with internationals returning in December.
Wests Tigers: Lower tier players back November 17, senior players a week later. Squad trained through until grand final.
Newcastle: Back this Wednesday under Adam O’Brien.
Gold Coast: Return Monday under Justin Holbrook in Robina, some players on reduced workloads.
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Originally published as NRL clubs back to training to kick start preparations for 2020 season