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Rugby league is back.
Four NRL teams competed in three unofficial trial games over the weekend, whetting the appetite of footy-starved fans in readiness for the start of the new season in three weeks.
This past weekend’s games were headlined by Manly’s 68-6 thrashing of South Sydney.
In other results, the Brisbane Broncos defeated Queensland Cup feeder-club Wynnum Manly Seagulls while the Dolphins ran out 58-6 winners against the Central Queensland Capras – another Queensland Cup team.
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Barring the Penrith Panthers, who are heading to the UK to take part in the World Club Challenge, all teams will take the field next week for the NRL’s second Pre-Season Challenge.
All 16 games over the two weeks of the Pre-Season Challenge will be televised on Fox League, beginning with the Bulldogs hosting the Storm at Belmore on Thursday, February 15.
Read on for the talking points and highlights of the three unofficial trials this past weekend.
MANLY SEA EAGLES 68 – 6 SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Sea Eagles fans got their first taste of new recruit Luke Brooks in a Manly jersey, and the much-maligned playmaker delivered in spades, setting up three tries in the first half before being subbed off.
“Brooksy was good,” coach Anthony Seibold said.
“We just wanted him to put a Manly jersey on. He’s had a good pre-season and we feel like the No.6 jersey for him will take some pressure off him with having Chez (Daly Cherry-Evans) and Tom (Trbojevic) in key positions around him.”
While a jarring scoreboard, Souths fans shouldn’t be too dismayed, with their side predominantly made up of reserve graders.
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OH BROTHER
Josh Schuster was meant to be the man to play outside Brooks on the left edge, but Ben Trbojevic’s performance on Sunday will make Seibold think twice when he names his squad for Las Vegas.
It’s been a frustrating few weeks for Schuster who has battled chickenpox, a broken finger and a calf injury, and he now faces stiff competition from the man who just inked a new deal to stay with his brothers.
Trbojevic has long been overshadowed by rep stars Tom and Jake, but he has had a huge pre-season and it’s paid off with the back-rower crossing three times in the first half.
The lanky youngster has already struck up a good combination with Brooks and is one good trial away from winning a starting spot, while Jamie Humphreys has put his hand up for the bench utility spot after he scored twice in the second half.
ON THE RAY-DAR
While new recruits Jaxson Paulo and Tommy Talau have been the talk of the town in the off-season, powerhouse winger Ray Vaega reminded them he’s Manly’s incumbent winger for a reason with a strong display in Gosford.
He may not be the tallest man on the planet, but Vaega – who played the final five games of the 2023 season – scored two tries on Sunday and broke the line a number of times.
Vaega also put in a lovely kick for Jake Arthur to score in the second half which must have drawn a smile from Brad Arthur who was one of several high-profile faces in the crowd.
Given winger Jason Saab is in the team for his speed and height, and not his yardage, Vaega looms as a genuine chance to start the new season because he’s the guy who can get them on the front foot when coming out of trouble.
“I thought he was really good today,” Seibold said.
“It’s one spot where there’s a really strong competition for spots…that jersey is up for grabs with that left edge back row spot.”
– Martin Gabor (NCA Newswire)
BRISBANE BRONCOS 26 – 16 WYNNUM MANLY
A couple of Broncos young guns, led by talented outside back Tristan Sailor and promising forward Xavier Willison, starred in the team’s hard-fought win over Wynnum.
Played over three 25-minute periods, the Seagulls raced out to a 10-0 early on before the Broncos’ class shined through and they ran over the top of their less-fancied rivals.
SAILOR SHINES
Sailor was heavily involved on Saturday afternoon, setting up three tries and scoring another in a man-of-the-match performance.
Brisbane’s first try of the game came after a relieving penalty saw the Broncos march up the field, with a beautiful cut-out pass from Sailor seeing Bailey Trew score in the corner.
Sailor was involved in Brisbane’s second try too as he soared into the air to bat Black’s bomb backwards, with outside back Josiah Karapani pouncing to score in the right corner.
The Broncos went on to run in 18 unanswered points from that stage to charge to victory, inspired by Sailor who came up clutch again with a perfectly-weighted banana kick for Ethan Quai-Ward to score.
Sailor then iced the victory with a sensational individual effort as he turned on the pace to beat multiple defenders and score.
Sailor remains a strong back-up if anything happens to Reece Walsh but once again proved on Saturday that he could well also be a dynamic option off the bench if Brisbane can find room for him.
Sailor impressed with every opportunity he had last season, averaging 125 metres while recording six try assists, five linebreak assists and 13 tackle busts.
The 25-year-old signed a two-year extension with Brisbane that keeps him at Red Hill until the end of the 2025 season.
Sailor spoke to The Courier Mail’s Peter Badel after the game, citing he’d “love” to be selected in the Broncos’ 17 for their historic match in Las Vegas against the Roosters.
“I would definitely love to play that super-sub role,” Sailor said.
“With the game being as fast as it is, the utility role is becoming pretty big. That’s why I am pushing myself to play a few positions, so I’m comfortable across them all.
“I want to solidify my defence in case I have to go into the middle.
“Being in the 17, no matter where it is, is my goal for sure.”
BRONCOS BEAST PUSHING FOR RD 1 SELECTION
While Sailor was the standout for the Broncos there were plenty of other promising performances from Brisbane’s young and emerging talent, with Xavier Willison (114kg) pressing his NRL claims by helping lay the foundation upfront.
Willison will be pushing for selection in Round 1 with Brisbane losing three forwards (Tom Flegler, Kurt Capewell and Keenan Palasia) in the off-season.
Willison was hard to handle throughout his time on the field and has given Kevin Walters plenty to think about.
The 21-year-old played in seven games last season. He has had 11 NRL appearances since debuting in 2021.
Young hooker Blake Mozer didn’t have too much room to shine but was often crisp with his service from dummy-half while Coby Black had nice touches, particularly with his last tackle options to have a hand in a few tries.
Deine Mariner, who is pushing for a spot in Brisbane’s NRL backline, flashed his speed at various points in the game but had a moment to forget when he was bundled into touch in the 29th minute for what should have been a try.
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DOLPHINS 58 – 6 CQ CAPRAS
Tesi Niu scored a first half hat-trick as the Dolphins stormed to a 58-6 win over the Central Queensland Capras on Saturday.
Niu actually could have had four tries in the first half having just been held up over the line in the play before the Dolphins opened the scoring, with Valynce Te Whare instead nabbing the first four-pointer of the game.
It came after a pinpoint Kurt Donoghoe kick was misjudged by Kurtis Farr, sitting up for Te Whare to scoop and score.
Niu made no mistake a few minutes later though after Donoghoe shaped to play it short to Oryn Keeley, who ran the decoy and drew in the Capras defence, opening up space out wide on the left edge.
Niu put winger Jack Bostock away and was backing up in support to finish it off, seeing the Dolphins push ahead 10-0 after seven minutes.
The two Dolphins halves later combined for a highlight-reel try in the 17th minute as Lachlan Hubner ran the decoy against the angle, with Donoghoe instead playing it out the back to halfback Gerome Burns who showed off his speed to race away and score.
The Capras eventually hit back as Brandon Clarke shaped to pass from dummy-half and caught the Dolphins defence napping, going right through to score.
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It was the only highlight of the half though as Niu scored his second, with strong decoy running from Keeley doing the trick again as the Dolphins centre used his footwork close to the line to beat the defence.
Niu capped off a stellar half as Burns went to the air, recovering well from a poor pass and Bostock rose above to bat it to Brent Woolf, who found the 22-year-old for his third of the game.
The Dolphins picked up where they left off in the third quarter as they ran the ball on the last tackle, with Caleb Jackson straightening up to score and extend the lead to 34-6.
Soon after the Dolphins were in again, with a sharp Brent Woolf playing it short from dummy-half to a charging Cooper Jenkins as the prop crashed over next to the posts.
Woolf then scored one of his own as he strolled through a gaping hole close to the line before Manase Kaho spun over to bring up the half-century for the Dolphins soon after.
The Dolphins had one final try in them as Jenkins scored his second of the game, this time on the back of a beautiful short ball from Trey Brown after the hooker took it right up to the line.
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