Northern Pride: Five burning questions ahead of first trial
The Northern Pride’s Intrust Super Cup side will officially return to the field for the first time in 350 days this weekend. Here are five burning questions Williams will be hoping to find answers for in the Pride’s first hitout of 2021.
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The Northern Pride’s Intrust Super Cup side will officially return to the field for the first time in 350 days this weekend.
The Pride will face traditional foes Townsville Blackhawks in a pre-season trial match this Saturday at Jack Manski Oval, Townsville. Kick off is at 6pm.
Coming off the longest off-season in the club’s history, after the 2020 Intrust Super Cup season lasted just one round before it was cancelled, the Pride and coach Ty Williams face a number of unknowns heading into a new campaign.
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From young guns to new recruits, wily veterans to NRL stars in the making — Saturday’s trial match will throw up plenty of storylines.
Here are five burning questions Williams will be hoping to find answers for in the Pride’s first hitout of 2021.
1. How will Jayden Corrigan go at fullback?
The Norths Devils recruit has made a strong impression since arriving at the club late last year, staking claims for the Pride’s fullback jersey with his quickness across the ground and his ability to read the game and pass down the short side.
He was a standout playing for Valleys Diehards in the Brisbane Rugby League last year, finishing the year as the competition’s leading try scorer and earning nomination for the 2020 Team of the Year as fullback.
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“I just want to see what he’s about; firstly, when he delivers the football at the back there, but also with his communication,” Williams said.
“Coming out of the pre-season Jayden deserves that first opportunity moving forward and he gets that chance come Saturday arvo.”
2. Who will take the early lead in the halves race?
Matt Egan and Evan Child have been given the nod to start in the halves this weekend, with North Sydney Bears recruit Tom Steadman to come off the bench.
The trio will be looking to put their best foot forward with potentially just the one halves spot up for grabs, with Cowboys allocated players Jake Clifford and Ben Hampton a chance to return to the Pride when not required for NRL duty by North Queensland coach Todd Payten.
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“The three halves that we’ve got are all different, and that’s something we’ve been chasing for a long time,” Williams said.
“Obviously Matty’s a good organiser, he kicks the ball well; Tommy’s a bigger body but ballplays; and Evan’s probably the biggest out of all of them, but his ability to manage the game is very good.
“They bring different dimensions to the club and who gets picked is going to depend on who we play each week.”
3. What impact will Cowboys young guns Jeremiah Nanai and Heilum Luki have?
Williams will get a closer look at some of his Cowboys allocated players on Saturday, with Connelly Lemuelu, Wiremu Greig and Cairns juniors Jeremiah Nanai and Heilum Luki to line up for the Pride.
Lemuelu played seven NRL games after making his debut for the Cowboys last year, while Greig established himself as one of the game’s emerging enforcers playing for the Maori All Stars last weekend.
But all eyes will be on homegrown talents Luki and Nanai.
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“This weekend, I’ll probably toss them into both positions, the core and the edge, just to see what best balances us out,” Williams said.
“The discussions I’ve had with the Cowboys have been very different this year, they’re about us achieving the best possible outcome for our club and how those guys fit in is going to be up to us.
“But we also got to remember that these guys are still kids. We don’t want to chuck them to the wolves because everyone expects another David Fifita to come out of nowhere.”
4. How will Josh Stuckey go after an NRL pre-season?
The Pride backrower was on a 12-week contract with the Cowboys during the pre-season, but left such a lasting impression on club officials he was asked to stay for a few more weeks.
He will reunite with his Pride teammates in Townsville this weekend and has been named to start in the second row.
Stuckey brings a ballplaying dynamic to the forward pack.
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“I’ve been in contact with him over the whole period and spoke to him earlier this week just to see where he’s at,” Williams said.
“He’s had an awesome time down there and I’m excited to see how it unfolds and how he brings it back to the playing group because he knows the expectations and the standards that are set for an NRL player.
“Hopefully that gives him that extra prod to aspire to be there at the end of this year.”
5. How will the new rules impact the game?
The introduction of the NRL’s six-again rule and a shift to faster play this Intrust Super Cup season has prompted Williams to rethink how the game is played.
The hooker and lock positions have arguably been the most affected by the change, and the Pride will experiment with both on the day.
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Chris Ostwald will start at hooker, with fellow rakes Denzel King and former NRL player Jayden Hodges coming off the bench, while Tom McGrath will start at lock, with Whyatt Barnes also expected to get minutes in a roaming forward role.
“Whether we win or lose, it doesn’t matter, just as long as we’ve got the right processes in place and we implement them in the right moment and within the right environment, Williams said.
Originally published as Northern Pride: Five burning questions ahead of first trial
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