James Tedesco, Kieran Foran, Blake Ferguson — what we learned from the last round of NRL trials

FULLBACKS are still finding their way and teams are starting to find their groove. Here’s seven things we learned from this week’s NRL trials.

TRIAL form isn’t the best form and always needs to be taken with a sizeable grain of salt but with the season just around the corner and many teams playing close to full-strength line-ups, we can take more out of last weekend’s matches than we can from most.

Every team in the NRL had a hit-out on the weekend in locations as varied as Napier, Orange, Belmore and Wigan and with just 10 sleeps until the 2016 season gets under way we’ve come up with 7 things we learned from the week of rugby league action.

EELS HALVES LINK UP

Kieran Foran made his much-anticipated Eels debut in the victory over Penrith and while there were a couple of kinks to be smoothed out, his combination with Corey Norman looked sharp from the very beginning.

Corey Norman is tackled during the NRL trial match between the Penrith Panthers and the Parramatta Eels.

What was really interesting about the Eels attack was how often the two halves would link together in attacking formations, a far cry from the one half on either side style favoured by many teams in recent years.

It was surely no coincidence that some of the best attacking teams in the competition last season — like the Cowboys, Broncos, Roosters and Raiders — went away from the split halves system and if the Eels stick with it they could have one of the more dynamic offences in the competition.

WARRIORS MISFIRE

It seems like it would be harder to lose with this Warriors line-up than to win with it but the New Zealanders looked all out of sorts in their big defeat to the Dragons in Napier.

With Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Shaun Johnson and Issac Luke playing their first match together fireworks were certainly expected but the high-octane outfit misfired completely.

Their edge defence and communication was nowhere near the level required and given their talented roster and the pressure on coach Andrew McFadden they’ll want to hope this was an aberration before the real business starts next weekend.

MIXED BAG FOR BIRD

Because everyone is either moving to or moving away from fullback this season, it’s important to take a look at Jack Bird’s second match in the No. 1 jersey in the Sharks’ 30-all draw with the Tigers.

Handling kicks is something Bird needs to improve on.

Bird was again strong in attack, scoring a try in the first half, but struggled fielding kicks and was found out of position on several occasions.

He looked far more comfortable when moved to centre in the second half, where he also scored a try, and given the promise of fellow fullback candidate Valentine Holmes, coach Shane Flanagan may be better served to give the young Queenslander first crack at the back.

DRAGONS STILL SEARCH FOR ANSWERS

Another match in the centres for Josh Dugan, but Paul McGregor seems no closer to making a decision on the future of the Origin representative.

Dugan played well out wide, scoring a try and setting up another against the Warriors, but the idea of a move has never really been about Dugan’s suitability to centre.

Euan Aitken going in for a try during the NRL trial match between the New Zealand Warriors and the St George Illawarra Dragons.

An excellent athlete, Dugan will be effective at either position but the same cannot be said of Kurt Mann and Adam Quinlan, who are Dugan’s potential replacements in the No. 1 jersey.

Mann again produced a mixed bag at the back, while Quinlan couldn’t even snag a spot on the bench.

McGregor’s hand may be forced and unless he can find a suitable replacement Dugan could start the season at fullback by necessity.

CHALLENGE: Hopoate demands answers

OUT: Tapine seems certain to leave

FERGUSON STILL FINDING HIS FEET

Dugan’s former Raiders teammate is making the opposite transition and while the Roosters enjoyed a thumping win over St Helens, Blake Ferguson’s first match for the Tricolours at fullback was mixed to say the least.

Blake Ferguson is still finding his way as a fullback.

He did manage to score a try through strong support play and his kick returns were typically robust, but his positional play was spotty and he made a bad drop of a simple bomb in the in-goal area.

His ball-playing, which was always going to be the most difficult tenant of the switch, was also below par with several attacking chances going begging due to poor options or loose passes. Ferguson has room to grow and will no doubt improve, but his move to fullback will not be an instant success.

RAIDERS RIP INTO KNIGHTS

Lock your windows and close your doors, because the Raiders are coming. Don’t take note of the final scoreline of their 34-28 win over Newcastle; just consider that when both teams were at full strength in the opening 40 minutes the Raiders clocked up 34 points in as many minutes in a powerful display of attacking rugby league.

Blake Austin of the Raiders.

New signings Aidan Sezer and Elliot Whitehead both looked right at home while hooker Josh Hodgson was the most dangerous player on the field in the rout.

With Joseph Tapine set to arrive any day now and the club enjoying a depth in key positions that they haven’t boasted since the club’s glory days, Raiders fans should be very excited for the season ahead.

TEDESCO STANDS TALL

James Tedesco enjoyed a breakout season last year and would have been a lock for fullback of the year had Roger Tuivasa-Sheck not gone completely ballistic, but the Tigers fullback looked even more dangerous than last year in the draw with Cronulla.

James Tedesco starred for the Tigers.

Nearly everything that went right for the Tigers ran through Tedesco as he threw the final pass for several tries and looked dangerous with every touch.

If Dugan does make his anticipated move to the centres, Tedesco seems a certainty to challenge for the vacant Blues fullback job and given his well-rounded skillset and class it’d take a brave man to bet against him landing it.

NRL TRIALS RESULTS

Dragons 46 (Aitken 2, Dugan, Mann, McCarthy, De Belin, Widdop, Havili tries, Widdop 6, Milne goals) d Warriors 10 (Kata, Wright tries, Lolohea goal)

Bulldogs 20 (Perrett 2, Kasiano, Jackson tries, Stanley 2 goals) d Storm 0 at Belmore

Rabbitohs 22 (Walker, Hunt, S Burgess, Inglis tries, Goodwin 3 goals) d Titans 20 (Kelly, Don, Cullen, Taia tries; Roberts, Davis goals) in Miami, Queensland

Sea Eagles 58 (Myles, Matai, T Trbojevic, Taufua 2, J Trbojevic, Lawrence, Leary, Walker, Satini tries; Lyon 8, Walker goals) d Ipswich Jets 0 in Warriewood

Raiders 34 (Rapana 2, Boyd, Waqa, Papalli, Leilua tries; Croker 5 goals) d Knights 28 (Feeney, Fitzgibbon, Uate, C Mata’utia, Lamb tries; Hodkinson 3, Lamb goals) in Orange

Tigers 30 (Nofoaluma 2, Lawrence, Moses, Rankin, Naiqama tries; Moses 2, Rankin goals) drew with Sharks 30 (Bird 2, Lewis, Holmes, Tagataese tries; Maloney 5 goals) in Campbelltown

Eels 22 (Moeroa, Jennings, Gutherson, Paulo try; Gordon 2, Gutherson goals) d Penrith Panthers 8 (Mansour, Blake tries) in Penrith.

Originally published as James Tedesco, Kieran Foran, Blake Ferguson — what we learned from the last round of NRL trials