SuperCoach NRL: Ten things we hope to learn from this week’s trials

The final week of the NRL trials is upon us and these are the ten burning issues SuperCoaches will nope are resolved - and a few we know won’t be.

The final week of the NRL trials is upon us and SuperCoaches have plenty of questions for which they will be seeking answers.

Here’s our list of the ten burning issues we hope to have resolved - and a few we know won’t be.

SuperCoaches have plenty to watch in the final weekend of trials.

1. Who will win the final wing position at the Rabbitohs?

Cheapie Corey Allan has been named on the wing for the Rabbitohs in their Charity Shield clash (Fox Sports 7pm AEDT) against the Dragons on Saturday night. South Sydney superstar Greg Inglis has not been named as he deals with a minor knee injury but is expected to be fit and ready for round one. When Inglis returns to the team it will be at centre not his preferred fullback as he builds up his fitness. This leaves regular winger Alex Johnston at fullback and a spot on the wing for the Rabbitohs in round one up for grabs. Allan looks to be a clear front runner in the race for that spot at the moment, but SuperCoaches will want to see a bit more from the youngster than he showed in the trial against the Panthers.

2. Can cheapie Briton Nikora lock down a starting role in Cronulla’s backrow?

Plenty of coaches’ eyes would have lit up when they saw Briton Nikora named to start on the edge for Cronulla in their trial against the Knights. Nikora would have fond memories of playing the Knights as he busted 10 tackles and ran for 215 metres against their NSW Cup side in one game last year. Fellow Cronulla cheapie Bronson Xerri has been named on an extended bench and the 33% of SuperCoaches that currently own the young gun will be hoping he can do enough to edge past Sione Katoa and start in round one.

3. Who will be the Warriors’ starting halfback?

The Warriors play Wests Tigers early Saturday and the trial is on Fox Sports at 2:45pm (AEDT) so tune in and you’ll be able to, hopefully, answer a multitude of SuperCoach questions. Will Adam Keighran or Chanel Harris-Tavita secure the halfback role? Can Lachlan Burr do enough to win a spot on the bench and - this one is particularly pertinent to me as I have spent the pre-season pumping him up - does Isaiah Papali’i look better than he did against the Storm in the Warriors’ last trial.

4. Can Mikaele Ravalawa join Zac Lomax as dual-cheapie wings at the Dragons?

Ravalawa exploded into the spotlight last weekend with a two-try performance in the Dragons’ trial victory over Newcastle in Wollongong and he has been named in the extended squad for the Charity Shield. While there is speculation that fellow cheapie Zac Lomax is locked in to start round one leaving Ravalawa and Jordan Pereira duking it out for the final wing spot, I’m not so sure. Pereira was impressive over the back half of 2018 and so I think it more likely that the Dragons provide just the one cheapie wing - and that will be Lomax.

Matt Gillett has been working hard at training. Picture: Peter Wallis

5. How will Matt Gillett handle his return to the game?

Brisbane stalwart Matt Gillett is back and ready to go after his 2018 season was cut short due to suffering a fractured neck - or is he? Gillett has spoken about his nerves going into the game and his worries about suffering another injury. The injury to Tevita Pangai Junior (TPJ) will see Gillett shift from his usual edge role into the middle so we should know pretty quickly whether the Origin star is ready and able to handle a heavy load in defence.

6. The Storm giveth and they taketh away

Scott Drinkwater is currently in 25% of teams so it was good to see him named to start at fullback in Melbourne’s trial against the Cowboys in Mackay. Second-rower Joe Stimson has about half the current ownership and was named on the interchange bench which somewhat diminishes the joy for many of us. It will also be interesting to see if Cam Smith follows through with his promise to play as ball-playing lock or even as an extra half when Brnadon Smith gets his crack at hooker.

Scott Drinkwater has a chance to lock down the starting fullback role at the Storm. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

7. Jason Taumalolo on an edge

Eyebrows were raised when the Cowboys team dropped for their final pre-season hitout and Jason Taumalolo’s named appeared alongside the number 11. The Tonga Test star has been the world’s best forward the past couple of years as a bullocking lock, so his switch to the edge is certainly a surprise. Is coach Paul Green simply ensuring he can give Taumalolo and recruit Josh McGuire enough time on the field to blow out the cobwebs ahead of Round 1 or is this a genuine new role? The man himself reckons he’s up for the challenge - and even keen to add some more arsenal to his attacking game. “Greeny still has to work out my exact role but I want to add more offloads to my game,” Taumalolo told The Courier-Mail. If the move is for real, what better way for the Cowboys to test Taumalolo’s credentials than against an almost full-strength Melbourne Storm side.

8. Who replaces Jack de Belin?

The Dragons are now facing the reality of life without Jack de Belin for an indefinite period of time and the man most likely to fill his shoes is new recruit Korbin Sims who acquitted himself well at lock in the previous trial. Sims is suspended from the opening two games of the season though so watch what combination coach Paul McGregor uses when Sims is not on the field.

9. Sea Eagles backline cheapies

The Des Hasler charm offensive on fans continues with Manly still yet to name a squad. The injury to Tom Trbojevic, and suspension of Dylan Walker, has many hoping that the team might produce two cheapies in Albert Hopoate and Reuben Garrick. Word around the traps is no matter who runs out in the trial the Sea Eagles will go slow on Hopoate in the season proper so the 39% of players with him in their squad at the moment might want to consider their contingency plans. New recruit Garrick, who joined the club after impressing for the Dragons in the NSW Cup in 2018, must be some chance to replace Walker in the short to medium term.

10. How will Lowe go at Rabbitohs?

The Rabbitohs back-row puzzle is no closer to being solved, but this weekend might give us something closer to a clearer picture. Angus Crichton’s off-season departure opened up a second-row spot and all signs pointed to Sam Burgess moving from the middle to the edge, with young gun Cameron Murray promoted to the starting side at lock. Indeed that’s exactly how coach Wayne Bennett has named his side for the Charity Shield match against St George Illawarra. But the mid-week arrival of Ethan Lowe has muddied the waters.

The former Cowboys premiership winner is not Angus Crichton 2.0 but he’s a very capable second-rower and could feasibly force his way into the starting side. That would have an impact on Murray, with Burgess a strong candidate to return to his preferred position of lock in that scenario. Lowe has been named on the bench for the Dragons clash and his arrival is probably too late in the pre-season to force this change for Round 1. The other scenario is Lowe features mainly off the bench for the Bunnies, the role he’s largely played at the Cowboys since falling down the pecking order. He can cover the middle as well as the edge, which would result in more game time for Murray - and a new role for Burgess.

Cameron Murray’s role at the Rabbitohs is under pressure following the signing of Ethan Lowe. Picture: AAP Image/David Crosling

So much for the answers we hope to get, the below are answers we know we will not get.

What role will John Bateman have?

The Super League recruit has been kept under wraps by the Raiders as he recovers from a side strain. Much has been written about Bateman’s SuperCoach friendly style of play and plenty will be hoping Canberra captain Jarrod Croker was not teasing us when he speculated that the Englishman would be the Raiders’ starting lock for round one.

Where’s Jed Cartwright?

An injury to Viliame Kikau and Cartwright’s solid performance in last weekend’s trial against the Rabbitohs all seemed to indicate that another Cartwright clan member was poised to play in first grade. And then the Penrith team list dropped for this weekend’s trial with Cartwright nowhere to be seen. Jack Hetherington has been named to start in the backrow, but unless things have change considerably, Hetherington has to be short odds for a date with the judiciary prior to Kikau’s return and I’m not sure he’s a genuine starting second row at NRL level regardless.

This is Jed Cartwright...injury free.
I wouldn’t fancy running at this.
I wouldn’t fancy tackling this.
Glad I’m retired. @PenrithPanthers pic.twitter.com/FZ1JeCQ12p

— Martin Lang (@Martin_Lang11) December 19, 2018

What is Cronulla’s long-term answer at hooker

Incumbent hooker Jayden Brailey was good but not great in 2018 and his younger brother Blayke was looking like securing at least a bench spot to start 2019. Blayke’s charge was halted when he suffered a broken bone in his thumb in last Saturday’s trial and then the Sharks went and re-signed James Segeyaro. With the news that Cronulla must offload a player due to salary cap breaches it is likely Segeyaro will be cut free after just days back at the club. In short there are many more questions than answer over the hooker role at Cronulla and we’ll be no closer to answering any of those after this weekend.

What are Bulldogs doing with their backrow?

The Canterbuty Bulldogs are not playing a trial this week and they have named last year’s breakout performer Rhyse Martin in their NSW Cup side for this weekend’s Intrust Super Premiership trial. Do the Bulldogs really intend to drop their backrower and sharp shooting goalkicker? If they do then the stocks of Kerrod Holland who had a barnstorming finish to 2018 and is a handy goalkicker himself rise.

Broncos forward rotation

Unfortunately, the injury to TPJ means we will not really be sure about how Anthony Seibold intends to use his forward pack. Gillett will likely shift back to his preferred edge once TPJ returns from injury leaving Alex Glenn fending off the challenge from the impressive youngster David Fifita. And don’t forget Payne Haas is due back from suspension in round five. There are more questions than answers around the Broncos pack right now.

Originally published as SuperCoach NRL: Ten things we hope to learn from this week’s trials