NRL trial matches: Brisbane Broncos v Wynnum Manly, Dolphins v Central Coast Capras

Brisbane’s young guns gave coach Kevin Walters plenty to consider after storming past Wynnum Manly in a pre-season hitout, while a young Dolphin announced himself in Mackay.

Brisbane Broncos players Kurt Capewell and Brendan Piakura.

Sophomore centre Deine Mariner showed why Kevin Walters was so eager to keep the 19-year-old from rivals’ clutches with a dominant display in the Broncos’ 44-12 trial thumping of Wynnum Manly on Saturday.

Brisbane boasts an embarrassment of riches at outside back but that hasn’t stopped Mariner’s stock from rising in the off-season, and he did his chances no harm with a scintillating display at Kougari Oval.

The former Palm Beach Currumbin standout broke tackles and made metres with ease on the waterlogged Wynnum turf, crashing over for a try in the opening 25-minute period and running amok throughout.

With State of Origin star Kotoni Staggs and England International Herbie Farnworth ahead of him in the pecking order, Mariner’s chances of regular NRL minutes are slim to start the year.

But Walters is an unabashed fan of the young gun and he’ll be banging down the door should his more experienced teammates falter early in the season.

Action from the Broncos’ trial match. Picture: Jim O'Reilly

Queensland U20s prop Logan Bayliss-Brow impressed in his 50-minute stint and could be one of the few who featured in Saturday’s trial to see NRL minutes in 2023.

Front-rower Shalom O’ofou earned praise from Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds during pre-season and the 23-year-old former Dragon was tireless through the middle against the Seagulls.

Perhaps the biggest pre-game storyline was the return of Tristan Sailor to an NRL program and the son of a gun looked right at home in the Broncos jersey his father played 196 games for.

Toowoomba product Tyson Smoothy showed plenty during his time on the ground. Picture Jim O'Reilly

The 24-year-old was safe under the high ball, barked orders from the back and linked up well with his outside backs in a perfect pre-season debut for the former St George Illawarra Dragon.

It was all one-way traffic at Kougari Oval, with the Broncos barely troubled by their Hostplus Cup rivals.

A 16-0 first period lead was doubled in the second and once Sailor crossed for the Broncos’ opener in the final third, the Seagulls looked ready for the sheds.

The hosts responded with two late tries but by then the result was well beyond doubt.

One of the few disappointments for Broncos fans was the absence of highly-rated young backrower Brendan Piakura, who was a late withdrawal due to a leg infection.

Wynnum Manly on the ball. Picture: Jim O'Reilly

SAILOR SINGS ON RETURN

A bumper crowd braved the rain at Brisbane’s bayside and for many it was to watch Tristan Sailor’s first outing in a Broncos jersey.

The former five-game St George Illawarra Dragon and son of club legend Wendell Sailor pulled on an NRL jersey for the first time since 2020 and barely put a foot wrong.

The 24-year-old had a hand in three tries, saved a certain Seagulls score and even crossed for his own four-pointer early in the final period.

The speedster looked electric with the ball in-hand and already looks to have built a solid combination with Deine Mariner, in what could be a glimpse of the future for Broncos fans.

While the Broncos have a logjam of potential No. 1s — Reece Walsh, Selwyn Cobbo and Herbie Farnworth — he showed he could earn a place in the Broncos’ backline this season.

Three would-be tacklers close in. Picture Jim O'Reilly

SMOOTHY AS YOU LIKE

In a game featuring just three NRL top 30 players, casual Broncos fans might have had a tough time staying in the game during Saturday’s trial. But one name that could be important to remember is Tyson Smoothy.

The 23 year old played four NRL games for the Storm in 2021 and starred for Sunshine Coast in the Hostplus Cup last season, earning himself a Broncos development contract in the process.

Billy Walters and Cory Paix are battling for the No. 9 nod but neither has stamped himself as a plug-and-play starter just yet.

Rookie rake Blake Mozer has turned plenty of heads at Red Hill and is tipped to be the Broncos’ hooker of the future, but if Walters feels the Keebra Park product is not yet ready for the NRL cauldron it could be Smoothy he turns to when the whips are cracking.

The Toowoomba product announced himself immediately with a smart scurry from dummy half to open the scoring in the Broncos’ first set of the match and nearly connected on a rare 20-40.

He had a hand in much of Brisbane’s go-forward and was a steadying hand in the middle of the park, albeit against a flailing Seagulls outfit.

WING & SOME FLAIR

Winger James Johnson, who arrived from Newcastle in the off-season, scored a strong solo try, shrugging off numerous defenders to barge over and score.

The 22-year-old played in the Knights’ Jersey Flegg grand final team last season, and is contracted to the Norths Devils this season as he tries to earn a spot in the Broncos’ top 30.

BRISBANE BRONCOS 44 (T. Smoothey, I. Leota, D. Mariner, E. Quai-Ward, J. Johnson, J. Campagnolo, T. Sailor, W. Samuel tries; J. Rogers 4/6, T. Sailor 2/2 goals) def. WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS 12 at BMD Kougari Oval, Wynnum

Former Panther turns heads as baby Dolphins impress

NRL newcomers the Dolphins angered Penrith when they signed exciting young halfback Isaiya Katoa out of their junior nursery, but it was another former Panther who turned heads in their first trial of 2023.

Teenager Mason Teague announced himself as a potential star of the future with an impressive performance for his new club.

The Dolphins’ journey to the NRL gathered pace on Saturday night as an inexperienced outfit defeated the Central Queensland Capras 24-8 in Mackay.

With only five players from the Dolphins’ top-30 NRL squad — Penrith duo Katoa and Teague, centre Valynce Te Whare and forwards JJ Collins and Poasa Faamausili, the match was essentially a Queensland Cup hitout.

The Dolphins raced to an early 16-0 lead with four first-quarter tries as young Queensland hooker Harrison Graham opened the visitors’ account in the ninth minute.

Winger Setu Tu, who scored 13 tries in 19 appearances in the Queensland Cup last year, crossed out wide to extend their lead.

Valynce Te Whare was in fine form for the Dolphins in their Mackay hitout.

Not to be outdone, Brenton Baira scored on the other side of the field just three minutes later.

Dolphins fans got a glimpse of the future in the 21st minute when Valynce Te Whare enhanced his reputation as a tryscoring machine as he crossed as the visitors continued their hot start.

The 22-year-old former Waikato rugby prodigy signed a two-year deal to join coach Wayne Bennett’s new franchise and was impressive.

The game turned into a slog in the second quarter as defence ruled. The Capras had the lion’s share of possession and field position but some aggressive defence from the Dolphins kept them at bay.

That was until a mistake from fullback Trae Fuller after the halftime siren sounded gave the Capras their first points of the game.

The 25-year-old fumbled a low kick on the try line, allowing Bob Tenza to pounce and score.

Rodrick Tai scored for the Dolphins early in the second half before Brandon Roberts finished off a move out to the right for the Capras, who trailed 20-8 at three-quarter time.

PANTHER POWER

Assistant coach Nathan Fien took charge of the Dolphins, and he would have been impressed with young lock forward Teague.

Teague, who captained the Panthers to the SG Ball under-19s premiership last year, justified the Dolphins’ decision to elevate him straight into a top-30 spot in their NRL squad.

He was strong all night in the middle, and capped off his performance with a solo try in the 67th minute.

The 19-year-old took the ball from dummy half, 5m out from the line, beat the marker defence and crashed over as the Dolphins extended their lead to 24-8.

Katoa, who is still two weeks shy of his 19th birthday, only played half the game as the Dolphins rotated their 22-man squad.

One of the brightest talents in the game, Katoa represented Tonga at the World Cup at the end of last year but is yet to make his NRL debut.

BOSTOCK PRICE RISE

Centre Jack Bostock joined the Dolphins on a three-year deal, after impressing in the Illawarra Steelers’ pathways system.

On a development contract this season, Bostock will graduate into the Dolphins’ top-30 squad next year.

But he showed glimpses of brilliance, making several bullocking runs on the Dolphins’ right edge to keep the Capras’ defence busy.

The Dolphins will play their first official NRL trial next Sunday against North Queensland in Cairns, where coach Wayne Bennett is expected to roll out his high-profile signings.