NRL pre-season trials: Fixtures, question for every club ahead of 2018 kick-off
ULTIMATE NRL PRE-SEASON GUIDE: Action gets under way this week — check out who’s playing who, where, and what every team needs to sort before the real competition kicks off.
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THE lead-up to the 2018 NRL season is well and truly under way, with a litany of trial matches slated for teams to work out the kinks ahead of the season kickoff in early March.
With English Super League sides Wigan and Hull FC making the trip down under, Leeds travelling to Melbourne for the World Club Challenge and Brisbane heading north for a trial game in Papua New Guinea there promises to be plenty of pre-season action.
Here is your ultimate guide to every trial game over the next few weeks - how is your club looking to prepare for the most keenly anticipated season in years?
BRISBANE BRONCOS
Saturday, February 10: Broncos v Central Capras at Theodore, Central Queensland
Saturday, February 17: Broncos v Titans at Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba
Saturday, February 24: Broncos v PNG Hunters at PNG National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Brisbane will be on the lookout for a replacement for Corey Oates, who’s set for a move to the forwards, with Jamayne Isaako and Jonus Pearson the frontrunners. All eyes will be on marquee signing Jack Bird and if he’ll be able to take the field before Round 1 as he continues to battle a shoulder injury.
CANBERRA RAIDERS
Saturday, February 17: Raiders v Bulldogs at Sunshine Coast Stadium
The key for Canberra will be to get replacement hookers Siliva Havili and Craig Garvey as much game time as possible. Havili is the frontrunner to start at the moment, but Garvey will get plenty of minutes in this trial. Sam Williams can also be expected to slot into hooker at some stage.
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS
Saturday, February 17: Bulldogs v Raiders at Sunshine Coast Stadium
Saturday, February 24: Bulldogs v Panthers at Belmore Sports Ground
Moses Mbye’s move to fullback is the big news out of Belmore so far this season and he’ll get his first significant playing time at the position in these two matches. With any luck, new signing Kieran Foran will also make his blue and white debut.
CRONULLA SHARKS
Saturday, February 17: Sharks v Sea Eagles at Southern Cross Group Stadium
Saturday, February 24: Sharks v Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium
Matt Moylan and Josh Dugan are part of a new-look Sharks backline and will get at least some pre-season minutes at five-eighth and centre respectively. Moylan’s combination with Chad Townsend will prove paramount to Cronulla’s premiership chances.
GOLD COAST TITANS
Saturday, February 17: Titans v Broncos at Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba
Saturday, February 24: Titans v Warriors at Sunshine Coast Stadium
Bryce Cartwright’s recent move from Penrith to the Titans has thrown up some exciting possibilities for Gold Coast’s forward pack. Early indications have Cartwright starting the season at lock, a position he has never played in the NRL, so getting game time at the back of the scrum will be crucial.
MANLY SEA EAGLES
Saturday, February 17: Sea Eagles v Sharks at Southern Cross Group Stadium
Saturday, February 24: Sea Eagles v Roosters at Central Coast Stadium
Will Jake Trbojevic be fit to start the season? The hard-tackling lock forward suffered a pec injury in the World Cup and is doubt for Round 1. Manly will be keen to blood a potential short-term replacement and look for somebody to fill in for Dylan Walker, who’s aiming for a Round 5 return from a leg injury, at right centre.
MELBOURNE STORM
Wednesday, February 7: Storm v Knights at AAMI Park
Friday, February 16: World Club Challenge — Storm v Leeds Rhinos at AAMI Park
Saturday February 17: Storm v Warriors at Rotorua Stadium
Friday February 23: Storm v Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium
Melbourne face one of the biggest challenges of the Craig Bellamy era as Brodie Croft replaces superstar halfback Cooper Cronk. Croft may get his first significant playing time alongside Billy Slater and Cameron Smith in these trials, particularly in next week’s World Club Challenge match, which would give a decent indication as to how the three will combine during the season.
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Saturday, February 17: Warriors v Storm at Rotorua Stadium
Saturday, February 24: Warriors v Titans at Sunshine Coast Stadium
No team has more positions up for grabs than the Warriors, with their backline and forward pack far from set in the lead up to Round 1. Coach Stephen Kearney could be under serious pressure if New Zealand miss the finals again and it’s crucial he uses this pre-season time wisely.
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Wednesday, February 7: Storm v Knights at AAMI Park
Saturday, February 24: Knights v Eels at Maitland No. 1 Showground
The new-look Knights have an entirely new cast, and will use their trials to test new combinations. The star halves pairing of Mitchell Pearce and Connor Watson will get their first matches together and much of Newcastle’s potential rise will depend on their play.
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Saturday, February 17: Cowboys v Wests Tigers at Barlow Park, Cairns
Friday, February 23: Cowboys v Storm at Suncorp Stadium
All eyes will be on Johnathan Thurston. The Cowboys legend isn’t likely to earn significant minutes but just getting him back on the field after missing the end of the season with a shoulder injury will be what North Queensland are after.
PARRAMATTA EELS
Thursday, February 8: Eels v North Sydney at Ringrose Park, Wentworthville
Saturday, February 24: Eels v Knights at Maitland No. 1 Showground
Will Jarryd Hayne play? The Eels megastar has struggled through the pre-season but can be expected to get at least one match during the trial period. Hayne is expected to line up at centre and everyone will be asking how much is left in the tank.
PENRITH PANTHERS
Saturday, February 17: Panthers v Roosters at Panthers Stadium
Saturday, February 24: Panthers v Bulldogs at Belmore Sports Ground
James Maloney and Nathan Cleary will be a big part of Penrith’s premiership hopes and the two will try to strike up an instant combination in these two matches.
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Saturday, February 17: Rabbitohs v Wigan at ANZ Stadium
Saturday, February 24: Rabbitohs v Dragons at Mudgee
Like the Warriors, South Sydney have a litany of roster spots totally up for grabs. Performance in these trials will go a long way to securing a spot in first grade, and the possible appearance of Greg Inglis adds an interesting wrinkle to their pre-season.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Saturday, February 17: Dragons v Hull at ANZ Stadium
Saturday, February 24: Dragons v Rabbitohs at Mudgee
The Dragons broke the bank to sign halfback Ben Hunt and the former Bronco will likely make his club debut against Hull FC at ANZ Stadium. Hunt’s ability to strike up a combo with Matt Dufty and Gareth Widdop will be what the Dragons are after.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Saturday, February 17: Roosters v Panthers at Panthers Stadium
Saturday, February 24: Roosters v Sea Eagles at Central Coast Stadium
You may have heard that the Roosters signed two guys by the names of Cooper Cronk and James Tedesco. Both are pretty good players, and will likely have their first match together in one of these trials.
WESTS TIGERS
Saturday, February 17: Wests Tigers v Cowboys at Barlow Park, Cairns
Saturday, February 24: Wests Tigers v Sharks at Campbelltown Stadium
Coach Ivan Cleary has gone on a massive recruitment drive and it will be fascinating to see how he pieces his best 17 together. Keep a particular eye out for new fullback Tuimoala Lolohea and five-eighth Josh Reynolds.
FULL NRL PRE-SEASON TRIAL SCHEDULE
WEEK ONE
Wednesday, February 7: Storm v Knights at AAMI Park
Thursday, February 8: Eels v North Sydney at Ringrose Park, Wentworthville
Saturday, February 10: Broncos v Central Capras at Theodore, Central Queensland
WEEK TWO
Friday, February 16: World Club Challenge — Storm v Leeds Rhinos at AAMI Park
Saturday, February 17: Dragons v Hull at ANZ Stadium
Saturday, February 17: Rabbitohs v Wigan at ANZ Stadium
Saturday, February 17: Warriors v Storm at Rotorua Stadium
Saturday, February 17: Broncos v Titans at Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba
Saturday, February 17: Raiders v Bulldogs at Sunshine Coast Stadium
Saturday, February 17: Sharks v Sea Eagles at Southern Cross Group Stadium
Saturday, February 17: Panthers v Roosters at Panthers Stadium
Saturday, February 17: Cowboys v Wests Tigers at Barlow Park, Cairns
WEEK THREE
Friday February 23: Storm v Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium
Saturday, February 24: Broncos v PNG Hunters at PNG National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Saturday, February 24: Bulldogs v Panthers at Belmore Sports Ground
Saturday, February 24: Wests Tigers v Sharks at Campbelltown Stadium
Saturday, February 24: Titans v Warriors at Sunshine Coast Stadium
Saturday, February 24: Roosters v Sea Eagles at Central Coast Stadium
Saturday, February 24: Knights v Eels at Maitland No. 1 Showground
Saturday, February 24: Rabbitohs v Dragons at Mudgee
Originally published as NRL pre-season trials: Fixtures, question for every club ahead of 2018 kick-off
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