NRL News
Melbourne crush Broncos 46-0

Brisbane were rudderless at Princes Park tonight, as the full strength Melbourne Storm side ran riot over Broncos minus several stars including Darren Lockyer.

The mismatch of stars will make it hard for each coach to gauge their sides progress in the NRL trial game phase of the year. The Broncos looking very tired, which is to be expected after their return from the UK.

Craig Bellamy was happy with Greg Inglis' transition to 5/8, with the young star laying on the first try. Bellamy was also impressed with his side's overall defence, with the Melbourne side keeping the Broncos scoreless in what was a their first meeting since the 2006 NRL grand final.

After a mistake riddled start by both teams, the Storm clicked into gear with Greg Inglis putting putting Hoffman in for the first try.

Inglis layed on a slick cut-out pass to Ryan Hoffman out wide, with the second rower going over at the 11 minute mark.

The only downside for Melbourne's was an injury concern to their already struggling forward stocks.

Lock Dallas Johnson was knocked out early in the match while making a tackle and suffered strong concussion and in more bad news Matt Rua limped off the field just before the break.

MELBOURNE 46 (C Cronk 2 R Hoffman M King G Inglis B Slater J Lima M Geyer tries C Smith 7 goals)
BRISBANE 0
Crowd: 8273 at Princes Park.

NRL News
Saints Rookies Take Shield from Bunnies

The St George Illawarra Dragons have won the 2007 Charity Shield competition, defeating South Sydney 16-14 Saturday night.

In a stop start affair, the Dragons looked headed for defeat with 8 minutes to go, with Souths leading by 4.

However, a wayward pass from South Sydney half Joe Williams was intercepted by Ben Hornby who raced 70 minutes untouched to score under the posts. The conversion allowed the Dragons to take the title after 2 years without it.

The game started with a bang, Souths forced a Dragons error in the first minute and had scored in the second minute. With Souths fielding 7 internationals, it looked like the game could be a one way Red and Green freight train.

Shayne Hayne blew the pea out the whistle for most of the match, and while there was a fair amount of dropped ball. Both sides show glimpses of what we can expect in 2007. The Souths forwards were extremely strong, but mistakes and poor organising in the halves really hurt their chances. The Dragons combination of Hornby and Gasnier was solid at the scrumbase, however Gasnier picked up an injury late in the game. The young outside backs for the Dragons were impressive, defending well and will push for spots in this years line up.

Poor handling saw Souths lose the edge, and extra possession allowed the Dragons to score two tries after some slick set plays.

The Bunnies bagged an opportunistic try right on half time and snuck into the break with the score at 10-10.

After the half time break, both teams looked extremely tired. A lot of dropped ball and constant penalties saw the game slow down and quality set plays disappear. Souths were frequently lying on the tackled player and their discipline certainly needs to improve for the NRL season.

Souths managed to scramble for a try through Nigel Vagana midway through the second half, but constant poor tackle 5 options and early kicks saw them turn the ball over with poor field position.

The Dragons on the other hand hung in well, even with Nathan Brown fielding plenty of rookies in the side - they stood up to the test and can take plenty away from the match.

David Peachy played solidly for Souths, although he was a little kick happy at times, kicking on tackle 2 and failing to get results from grubbers. Dean Widders and David Kidwell didn't really standout and the same could possibly be said about Roy Asotasi.

For the Dragons, Hornby was at his scheming best and Morris twin Josh played extremely well at fullback for the Dragons.

Saints had Matt Head, Jason Ryles and Dean Young all unavailable and will look to build on this platform for Round 1 of the NRL.

Souths will be happy with the effort of the team, and their defence in general - however they desperately need a halves combination and a decent kicking half for tackle 5 options improvement.

NRL News

Titans burn Panthers 26-8 in slick display

The Gold Coast Titans tonight notched their first win in their home state, with an impressive victory over the Penrith Panthers. The newly formed NRL club put in a solid display despite lacking their first choice forward pack and crushed the Panthers 28-6.

Carrara Oval on the Gold Coast was abuzz as 13,500 vocal fans packed in to see their new team go round. Both teams put in an impressive defensive display for such an early season game, however it was the Titans attack that will have everyone talking.

Wave after wave of Titans attack was sent towards the Penrith line. With Chris Walker, Preston Campbell, Matt Rogers, Scott Prince and Luke Bailey all scoring tries for the local side.

The Panthers had to defend for long periods and did well to repell many early raids, however they couldn't sustain the pressure and eventually the Titans broke through with a Campbell intercept and continued to grow in confidence as the match wore on. The outing will be beneficial to both sides, with the Panthers walking away with a notebook full of faults to work on - most notably their ball handling and structure in attack.

The Titans will take plenty of confidence from the game, and their combinations seem to be getting better each week as they move to their second win from 3 outings. Chris Walker played solidly for the Titans again and also landed several conversions in rotation with regular goal kicker Brett Delany.

For the Panthers Brett Firman scored the sole try and played solidly for his new club, with Panthers youngster Peter Wallace taking the conversion.

NRL News awarded the man of the match title to Preston Campbell, who was at his scheming best - proving a constant headache to his old Panthers team mates and fitting in well to his test at hooker. Every win for the Titans eases the pressure the new club faces as they enter the big time stage of NRL.

We'll be back tomorrow night where the blow torch will be on the South Sydney Rabbits. Showcasing 8 internationals tomorrow night and coming off a strong off-season program - many will be waiting to see how the Rabbits come out of the blocks in the big game.

The Saints are fielding only an average side on paper, and anything less than a win for Souths even at this early stage will see pressure mount for the NRL kickoff. Check back tomorrow night for all trial information as it breaks.

Source: NRL News

NRL News

Bailey rates no-name Titans forwards highly

The new look Titans forward pack is rated equal to the best he's ever played with by Luke Bailey - including at a representative level for NSW and Australia. The ex-St George Illawarra bookend said the Gold Coast forwards might not have the big names at present but they have worked hard for each other in recent outings and training sessions.

"I am happy with the current forwards we've got," Bailey has commented. The Titans' final pre-season hit-out is tonight against Penrith at Gold Coast Stadium - and local interest has been impressive, with Gold Coast officials expecting a big crowd for the trial game.

"I think it's right up there with some of the best I've played with, which is a pretty big rap really." "These blokes aren't household names but they are kenn and hungry and will certainly work their butts off for the club" "These are the sort of guys you want to play alongside."

This certainly is a massive statement from a man who's contested 11 Origins for NSW and played in two Tests for Australia. "I haven't played a whole lot of games with these guys but looking at their attitude I think they're up there," said Bailey, who was also put in a good showing in last weekend's trial game win over the Eels in Lismore.

When pressed on whether he thought the Titans pack were comparable with NSW and Australian teams he has played in, Bailey added: "I think so, in ability and attitude. "These guys don't worry about the limelight or getting their name in the media, they just care about working for each other and cementing a spot while they have been given the chance."

Bailey also said it was a shame his former Dragons stablemate Michael Henderson (hamstring) won't be lining up with him in the front-row against Penrith on tonight. "It's a blow to me personally because he's a good mate of mine," said Bailey.

It's also ironic that the Titans will face off against his old club the Dragons in Round 1 of the NRL. This will surely bring out the best in the man they call "The Bull" and he can expect a warm welcome from his old teammates. Bailey is also expected to get more time on the field as will Anthony Laffranchi and Kris Kahler.

Samoan rookie Pele Peltelse gets his chance in the top grade, filling in for Henderson in the 22-man squad after his manager Gavin Orr approached coach John Cartwright for a shot at the big time. Pele has spent time with Qld side Aspley, and has played several League games out of Auckland for lower grade clubs.

New Titan Chris Walker will also start at fullback for the Gold Coast with Preston Campbell slotting into the hooking role against his old club. Expect to see some confrontations here, with Campbell being in the middle of the action and his old clubmates keen to get at him. Bailey said he was happy to have Campbell packing down with him in the scrum. "He's half my size and you always try to get at the smaller blokes when you play," the 27-year-old Bailey said.

It's easy to forget Bailey is only 27 years old. The work-a-holic forward has been a senior member for the Dragons for what seems like an age. Regularly carrying his old club through tough games, he will certainly be an asset to the Titans.

Stay tuned to NRL News on Saturday for Trial game results and reviews. Feel free to send your comments or reviews through to operations@NRLnews.com and we will publish reader feedback.

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NRL News
Dragons expect keen contest in Charity Shield

The 24th Charity Shield kicks off this Saturday night and Dragons believe it will be one of the most keenly contested trials this year. The traditional St George Illawarra and South Sydney clash will be at Telstra Stadium this Saturday night, and the event now has huge exposure and recognition in the NRL community.

Saints coach Brown, who moves into to his fifth year as head coach, believes the traditional clash will be treated seriously by both Clubs and each side look to be fielding strong teams in their final trial match before kick off in the 2007 Telstra Premiership.

“The Charity Shield is always a tough match and is a good chance to trial what we have been working on in the off-season in a “big” game environment,” said Brown. “The strong line-ups and the fact that this its the final game before the 2007 season begins means the traditional clash will be taken to a new level”.

Saints Captain and new pivot Mark Gasnier will lead the Dragons for the first time after having overcome an illness that kept him from the Bulldogs match last week”

“We are always keen to play the Charity Shield, there is something special about this game,” said Gasnier. “It's the last chance for us to get our combinations right and tweak things before the season starts. It is also the final chance for Players’ to push for selection and both teams have big name players which will make it a great contest”.

The Charity Shield started in 1982 and so too did the tradition of supporting local charities and causes. In 2007 takings from the Charity Shield will be sent to the St.George Foundation who in-turn will pass money to the St George and Wollongong Public Hospitals in the Dragons’ areas.

The St.George Foundation was setup in 1990 by St.George Bank the major sponsor of the St George Illawarra Dragons, to help children from birth to 18 years of age with special needs. Since then, over $9 mil has been allocated by the Foundation.

Results

In the 23 Charity Shield games since 1982, The Dragons have won 13 times; Rabbitohs 7, draws 3. Since St George Illawarra was born in 1999, the Charity Shield has been played six times – Dragons 2 wins, Rabbitohs 3 wins; 1 draw.

Charity Shield Program – Saturday, March 3

4.30pm Gates Open
4.35pm Shellharbour Marlins v Raymond Terrace
6.05pm Premier League – Dragons v North Sydney Bears
8.00pm FOX live broadcast, NRL Trial, Dragons v Rabbitohs

NRL	Premier League
Coach: Nathan Brown	Coach: Steven Price
1. Josh MORRIS	1. Jason NIGHTINGALE
2. Luke MACDOUGALL	2. Rota SETU
3. Wes NAIQAMA	3. Frank SAMIA
4. Matt COOPER	4. Keith LULIA
5. Chase STANLEY	5. Sam MORATH
6. Mark GASNIER	6. Richard WILLIAMS
7. Ben HORNBY	7. Rangi CHASE
8. Chris HOUSTON	8. Ricardo YOUNG
9. Simon WOOLFORD	9. Tony CAINE
10. Dan HUNT	10. Matt PRIOR
11. Ashton SIMS	11. Jason WHITE
12. Beau SCOTT	12. Reece LOVEGROVE
13. Ben CREAGH	13. James JIMENEZ
14. Adam PEEK	14. Brian WEST
15. Danny WICKS	15. Brad DAVIDSON
16. Corey PAYNE	16. Casey ELLIS
18. Lagi SETU	17. Reece BLAYNEY
19. Ben ELLIS	18. Pat ROSSER
20. Charlie LEAENO	19. Daniel FEPULEAI
21. Ricky THORBY	20. Scott SABLOWSKI
	21. John KENNEDY
	22. Scott MACDOUGALL
	23. Jason KLIMIS
	24. Sene TALA

NRL News - Nocturnal NRL why are most games under lights?

NRL News today examines why so many NRL matches are played at night. With the expansion to 16 teams in 2007, meaning 8 games per weekend, a staggering 75% of all games are now played at night.

Friday night football has been an institution for quite some time now, however the old Saturday day games are no more and we now only see Saturday action at night. Sunday remains the only day where NRL is played under sunlight.

The new Monday fixture for this year is of course at night - why is this? Is it an indication of modern lifestyle? Do people prefer to go out for a 'nightly' attraction? Or is it to do with TV scheduling? Does the night programming suit free to air and pay providers?

This trend looks set to continue, just last week the Wests Tigers announced local government in the Campbelltown area is set to spend approx. 10 million on upgraded lighting at the Campbelltown Sports Ground in an effort to attract more Tigers games.

This scenario also seems to favour some teams; teams that are fitter and play dynamic, carefree football are much more suited to the day games. During a day game, they are able to deal with the hotter conditions better and also receive better handling through dryer conditions and a grippier ball. Teams such as Melbourne and the Cowboys revel in the daytime environment.

On the flipside teams such as Parramatta and Canberra who struggled with consistency last season, we are able to slug it out in night matches and the differing conditions at night allowed them to compete on a more even keel. The slippery ball, the slightly slower gamespeed through softer underfoot conditions may have helped them slightly. This is also true of course for rainy conditions regardless of night or day, where both teams are restricted to simple football.

Why ARE so many games played at night? NRL News would like to hear your opinion.

Source NRL News

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Injuries; why so many in today's NRL

Injuries in any sport are disasterous not only for the player involved but for clubs, fans and officials alike. The cost of injuries in the NRL especially when big name players are involved - are enormous.

If Rugby League teams lose a star player, the snowball effect begins. Poor results may ensue, crowd attendance drop off, tv audiences may decline and so on.

When we look at today's NRL it seems that more players are injured and the occurences are much more frequent. Why is this? Are the training demands of professional players too much? Is the quality of equipment or environment poorer? Surely not.

With this trend increasing, clubs are focusing more on injury prevention and management. Investments in this area continue to grow, as clubs realise if they don't - it will cost them.

Are players simply not as tough as in past eras? We've all seen photo's of John Sattler, playing on with a broken jaw. Or Benny Elias slugging it out in an Origin match with blood streaming from a massive head wound. We simply didn't see players go down in the past, and if they did - they would usually turn up the next week ready for the match.

Certainly some players bodies are more prone to injurues, when we look at guys like Sonny Bill Williams - here is a young man, possibly still growing and subjecting his body to massive tests every week. Shoulder charges, brutal front on tackle busts or crunching cover tackles. While his body grows, surely it's not healthy for it to be absolutely smashed weekly?

Pondering these questions, surely it must be that today's demands on players are greater. The players train much more, and their bodies are more like highly tuned machines. Meaning, they can run faster, jump higher and endure longer - possibly at the cost of more breakdown.

Generally the quality of Rugby League ground surfaces is better, equipment used by players is surely better as companies such as Nike and Adidas pour millions into football shoe development. Not to mention coaching and conditioning staff's warming players bodies up and warming them down.

We thought we would conclude this article by selecting the most talented but most injured team of the modern

Rugby League era:
Fullback: Robbie Ross
Wing: Eric Grothe Jnr
Wing: Adam McDougall
Centre: Ryan Girdler
Centre: Paul Bowman
Five Eighth: Benji Marshall
Half: Andrew Johns
Lock: Brad Clyde
2nd Row: Sonny Bill Williams
2nd Row: Bob Lindner
Front Row: Jason Ryles
Front Row: Luke Davico
Hooker: John Doyle

Reserves: Scott Prince, Jason Smith, Brett Hodgson, Scott Hill

On the flip side, the most un-injured player of all time - is Jason Taylor. Beating records for consecutive games, dodging danger weekly and playing on with niggling injuries. Please post your comments on the make up of the side. We'd like to hear who you would add or remove from this team of regularly injured Rugby League stars.
Source: NRL News Staff

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Swann set to strut again in NRL

Former Warriors star Logan Swann is about to return to the field for the Warriors after more than 3 years away from home. Swann has been named in the strong NZ lineup against the Bulldogs for Saturday night's trial in Auckland. 32-year-old Swann's last game for the Warriors was way back in 2003, which was a semi final loss to the Panthers.

The Warriors fell just one game shy of the Grand Final after making it the year before. In his first trial appearance of the year Swann is set to re-join his old team mates for the first time after spending three seasons in the English Super League with the Bradford Bulls and another stint at the Warrington Wolves.

Five Eight Jerome Ropati has also been named in the Warriors line-up and will show his wares, hoping to cement the pivot role ahead of new signing Michael Witt. "It's tremendous to have Logan back playing for the Warriors," said head coach Ivan Cleary. "He'll be an important player for us this year with all the experience he brings back to the club." "We decided not to take Jerome to Mackay but now he has the chance to firm up his claims in the No 6 jersey."

Cleary has listed a 20-man group for the trial against the Canturbury Bulldogs. However he will wait until late this week before trimming the squad and confirming the starting line-up. Left out of the squad was loose forward Louis Anderson (shoulder) who should be fit for the round one match against Parramatta on March 17.

Young fullback Aidan Kirk and exciting utility Patrick Ah Van are both recovering from off-season operations and strong running second rower Wairangi Koopu is out of action with continued shoulder problems. Cleary was keen to send his best line-up into the Bulldogs trial. "This is the key trial for us, the last one before we start our season," he said. "Our match form in the Cowboys outing wasn't ideal. "We're looking for improvement in several areas against the Bulldogs."

The Warriors were dusted 32-14 by the Cowboys last week. They allowed the Cowboys a 10 point headstart and finally started closing the margin as the match wore on, getting to 10-4 with 10 minutes into the second half. "We've put that performance behind us. This week we focus hard on a number of things." The Bulldogs accounted for St George Illawarra 26-16 in their strong trial outing last Saturday.

The Dogs are expected to give Sonny Bill Williams more match time this weekend after being he was only used sparingly for around 40 minutes against the Dragons.

Warriors 20 Man Squad for Bulldogs Match:
Wade McKinnon, Manu Vatuvei, Todd Byrne, Michael Crockett, Tony Martin, Simon Mannering, Lance Hohaia, Jerome Ropati, Michael Witt, Grant Rovelli, Steve Price, Ruben Wiki, Evarn Tuimavave, Sam Rapira, Nathan Fien, George Gatis, Logan Swann, Epalahame Lauaki, Corey Lawrie.

NRL News article.
Source: NRL News Staff
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NRL Fullbacks; from Giants to Midgets

The age of the tall NRL fullback has passed. When looking through the current NRL teams, it seems nearly all teams have a custodian built for speed and not for height.

Why has this transformation occurred?

To understand the change in size, we must reflect on tactics used in by gone years. In the early 80’s the rules were slightly different – defusing a bomb or catching a ball on the full in the touch area didn’t award the defending team a 20 metre tap, the defending team simply gained no advantage in a diffusal situation. So it was common for the attacking team to hoist up a bomb after bomb and proceed to demolish the tall fullback once he had gathered the high ball.

This tactic was used constantly by the Warren Ryan coached Bulldogs side during the 80's and Ryan's team basically bombed the ARL into submission, forcing them to change the rules. In came the bomb diffusal rule, any ball caught on the full in goal, gained the defending team a 20 metre tap.

More recent rule changes have seen the abolishment of mid-air tackles, giving fullbacks even more protection.

Before these rule change, fullbacks needed to be tall and tough and not only get up high and take the bomb safely but also absorb the impact of 2 or 3 attackers who would tackle heavily upon arrival.

Players such as Brett Mullins, Matthew Ridge, Julian O’Neill and Paul Hauff all stood tall and held fast under intense pressure at the back.

When we look at Rugby League fullbacks of today such as: Matt Bowen, Karmichael Hunt, Billy Slater, Luke Burt, Brett Hodgson, Anthony Minichiello and Milton Thiaday – they certainly don’t have the height or build of their predecessors but what they do have is pure speed to burn.

Put simply the rule changes over the years given fullbacks better protection, and turned them into not just defensive tools but powerful attacking weapons.

As the game of Rugby League got faster and more skillful, the age of full time professional training has seen another area improve dramatically: defence.

With defence being so tight, it has forced teams to kick more in the hope of scoring more tries. While the bomb is still used, it’s not used as much as previous seasons – instead we see banana kicks, chip kicks, 40/20 kicks and reverse spin kicks. This new kicking repertoire has seen fullbacks covering lots of ground in short amounts of time.

Fullbacks may have to make a cover tackle in the left hand corner, be up on their feet and defuse a banana kick at the opposite corner one tackle later.

The age of speedy fullbacks is upon us and there are certainly are plenty on offer in the NRL at present. It’s no coincidence that the two grand final sides in Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos have the fastest and most dynamic custodians in the NRL.

As Anthony Minichiello returns for the Roosters this year, we wait with anticipation to see their results.

NRL needs a pre-season tournament

As we move towards the third week of NRL trial matches in 2007; the question needs to be asked – why have so many trial games?

While one or two practice games prior to season kickoff to at least confirm player combinations, fitness and test playing strategies makes sense. Why do NRL teams look at playing 3 or 4 trial games?

The chance of injury in the modern game is so high, it seems ridiculous to subject squad members to such risk in these meaning less games.

Most teams already realize this, and generally only field their top players in 1 or 2 of the trial games, so why then do we even play the early trial games where 2^nd tier players form the basis of the team?

A lot of comparisons have been made lately between the NRL and AFL. Most notably by Sydney Morning Herald columnist Phil Gould. Most of these comparisons relate to the general day to day running of the NRL and also how marketing and grass roots development is taking place to ensure the game grows rapidly and improves year on year.

One of the NRL directives is to play as many trial games in the bush, to ensure the game reaches supporters in all corners – as it stands today, the people in the bush get to see a single trial game where 26 players they never heard of battle it out. These people want to see Andrew Johns and Darren Lockyer take the field and experience true NRL.

The only way to improve the pre-season format I believe is to implement a knock-out tournament. A tournament with a large prize money bonus for the winner and a respected trophy to add to the leagues club cabinet. Incentives such as these will ensure teams field their best players and realistically everybody wins:

• Clubs get warm-up games before NRL kick-off
• Fans in the bush can get to see games with meaning
• Additional TV broadcast opportunities (local/international)
• A final in Sydney would draw a large crowd

For those that can remember far enough back; the Challenge Cup used to be a pre-season Rugby League tournament that worked extremely well. Games drew big crowds and TV audiences and the title was respected and chased by all clubs.

Maybe it’s time to go back to the future.

Channel 9 wants TK for 2007 Commentary

As NRLnews.com reported exclusively several weeks back, Channel 9 is looking to shore up their NRL commentary ranks for the future. Click here for original NRLnews.com report.

In an announcement this morning on his 2K7 radio program, Terry Kennedy or TK as he is known - confirmed talks are taking place between him and Channel 9.

Kennedy who has previously called rugby league games for Optus Vision in the late 90's would be a valuable addition to the Channel 9 NRL commentary team. While Ray Warren is the regular and lead commentator, the only other alternative option for the station is Andrew Voss.

With NRL games being played all over the east coast, travel is imperative. Ray Warren is known to dislike flying, and this sees Andrew Voss call many interstate or overseas games. Warren also calls the swimming events for Channel 9. Making things hard for program directors at Channel 9.

With such demands on Warren and the requirement for a big name caller for the future, it makes sense Channel 9 should swoop now. Many felt Channel 9 would look to Warren Smith who does an impressive job calling the NRL for Foxtel, however contractual arrangements may have prevented this option.

TK is familiar with the Channel 9 team as he spent time last season on the Sunday Footy Show, supporting Fatty and Sterlo in the panel style review program.

TK unlike Andrew Voss has a calling style which fits much more into the mould of the Ray Warren call, a style which contains loud vocals and juicy one-liners which viewers know and love.

Expect an announcement in the coming weeks, and get ready to hear calls such as "It's Valentines Day" or "It's a Double Cross" - boom from your TV set.

Eels young brigade pushing for spots

While we are only into the second week of trials for most NRL clubs, we have already seen some interesting results and team combinations tested.

One of the more interesting relates to the Parramatta Eels. Last week we saw the Eels comfortably account for the Cronulla Sharks, with each side fielding a relatively young mix of players from reserves and junior grades.

As we move to week 2, the Sharks improved on the previous week by notching their first win as they moved their star players into the squad - however in the case of the Eels, the addition of their stars into the squad saw them go down to the newly formed Gold Coast Titans squad.

When teams send their top squad onto the field they are at least expected to improve.

While some might put this down to new combinations and a case of 'getting the cobwebs out' - it has been a worrying trend for the Eels over the past few seasons.

Their reserve grade side, last years Premiers are choc full of talent across the park. Each of these boom rookies are itching for a shot at the top grade, however on the other side of the coin - you have a team full of current big name players that haven't really performed at their peak for some 12 months.

Once again, this might sound tough - being that's it's only the 2nd trial game of the year - but this situation has been quietly ticking away, and fortunately for the club the media hasn't got hold of it.

In the modern game the salary cap forces players to move regularly to keep their earnings up, but we also see rookies leave clubs if they don't get their shot at the top grade. Why wouldn't they head for greener pastures?

Hagan seems to have some tough decisions on his hands, how does he blood large amounts of new talent into the first grade squad without upsetting the apple cart? What is a good balance? Interestingly in this case, the reserve grade side play well as a unit, and blooding more at once may prove an advantage.

Brian Smith introduced a host of youngsters through to the top grade in 2000, then touted as 'Brian's Babes' - this team with an average age of 22 fell only one game short of the grand final and then made the grand final the following year.

Since then however, Smith didn't blood a large collective amount of youngsters - not until Jason Taylor took the helm did several young stars get their shot. This saw Jarryd Hayne burst onto the scene, and virtually allowed Parramatta to sneak into the final 8.

At present they have a gifted young reserve grade side sitting by the phone, awaiting the call-up, the young premiers who are raring to go - surely the top graders must be watching over their shoulder?

Will your team succeed at the scrumbase in 2007?

This year almost every NRL club is fielding a new scrumbase connection.

As coaches tinker with their line-up's during the trial game period, one of the most important items on their clipboards is the choice for 5/8 and half back.

The Sharks, Bulldogs, Knights and Broncos are the only teams that seem likely to use a 2006 scrumbase combination. However, the Sharks saw limited success with Dykes/Kimmorley and may yet choose another option, Brett Seymour may yet feature some where in the mix. The Dogs will look to stay with their combo of Shifty and Holdsworth which proved a success and of course the Broncos won't tinker with their successful setup from last year.

Looking at the rest of the teams, there are a host of changes to the scrumbase as players transfer during the off-season or clubs try a positional change for a particular player.

St George Illawarra have chosen to push Mark Gasnier into the 5/8 role with the departure of Trent Barrett to the UK. Moving the centre in closer to the action has some merit, however the raw strike power of Gaz out wide is almost impossible to replace.

This is also true of Manly, now with the services of Jamie Lyon - who at one stage was considered the best centre in the game. Do they leave him out wide to wreak havoc on the edges or move him in to partner Orford close to the action?

Even Melbourne are trying this theory, as they look at moving boom youngster Greg Inglis into 5/8. Inglis, previously playing at fullback and centre has a big future ahead of him - will this change help or hinder his cause? Melbourne seem to have a knack for moulding players into a new position, Cooper Cronk was successfully moulded into halfback over the past 2 seasons and has certainly made the no. 7 his own.

Parramatta have gone for two smaller players at the scrumbase, recruiting Brett Finch from the Roosters and keeping Tim Smith at 7. Both creative players, Hagan hopes their young creative minds will provide an attacking platform for the team - the concern here is defence however. Two small men at the scrumbase will be like a beacon for opposing forwards, as they steamroll towards the little guys.

Old head Jason Smith moves to Nth Queensland to steer the Cowboys around the park. His combination with Thurston could prove to be a beautiful mix of young and old. The dynamic Thurston with his guile and speed, and old timer Jason Smith with his slow motion deveption and extensive experience. NRLnews.com believes this combination could prove to be strongest for 2007, providing Smith stays fit and keeps the cigarettes to minimum.

The Warriors are also toying with their scrumbase. Buying Michael Witt for 2007, they are continuing to rotate players through this spot to find the best fit. Hohia has been tried as well as Reparti. The NZ mob have been struggling for the last few years to fill the void left by Stacey Jones.

Wests Tigers have lost their premiership half in Scott Prince, and have dropped John Morris from Parramatta into the no.7 jersey. Early signs are good, with Morris revelling in the role and his combo with Benji Marshall will be certainly be one to watch.

Penrith have lost last years 5/8 Preston Campbell and Matt Elliott has resisted throwing centre Luke Lewis into the mix. The Panthers are continuing to trial players in this position and their final choice for NRL round 1 is anyones guess.

Souths also see new buy Jeremy Smith slot into the halfback spot and while the coach has moved house with Jeremy, his combination with the exciting John Sutton will be interesting to see. This mix could also provide to be dynamic should the chemistry work, a mix of big and small - the ingredients look right.

At Sydney City, the Roosters are another club rotating a tonne of players through the scrumbase trying to find the right blend. Mitchell son of Junior Pearce, Jamie Soward, Craig Wing and Josh Lewis play musical chairs as Anderson trys to find his match winning combination.

So there we have it, a host of changes at the scrumbase - the most important part of any team. NRLnews.com believe thes Cowboys and the Bunnies have their mix just right. We hope your team gets the combination right for 2007, as it may mean the difference between making or breaking the 8.

Cowboys kill off Warriors in Mackay

North Queensland have defeated the New Zealand Warriors 32-14 in an NRL trial in Mackay.

The Cowboys' star off-season recruits, five-eighth Jason Smith and backrower Sione Faumuina, both impressed.

But the Warriors dropped far too much ball, allowing the Cowboys to dictate terms in front of about 8000 people at a temporary stadium created at the Brothers football ground, Leprechaun Park.

Organisers were expecting to break the $1 million mark in funds raised for charities through the sixth annual preseason game held by the Cowboys at Mackay.

The pre-game talking point was the Cowboys' new halves combination of Smith and halfback Johnathan Thurston, and they didn't disappoint.

Smith put the Cowboys ahead early with a long cut-out pass to put winger Brenton Bowen over, and Thurston's slick offload to Jacob Lillyman put them ahead 10-0 at half time.

Fullback Matty Bowen starred in the second half, saving a certain try by running down Warriors winger Manui Vatuvei, scoring himself off a superb inside ball from Thurston and setting up the last try by Ben Famer.

Faumuina, playing for the first time against his old club from which he was sacked last season, played strongly and showed he will be an asset for the Cowboys.

Cowboys second-rower Steve Southern was named man of the match, and the Warriors' best was Lance Hohaia.

Source: AAP

Knights too slick for Panthers

Newcastle have emerged 30-18 victors over the Panthers in an NRL trial in water-logged Darwin.

The Knights opened strongly when Kurt Gidley converted his own try inside five minutes.

Brad Tighe also crossed for the Knights, but it was Penrith who led 12-10 at half-time through tries to Paul Aiton and Trent Waterhouse.

Then the heavens opened, but the standard didn't drop after the break, both sides displaying good ball control in monsoonal conditions.

Newcastle, hampered by the absence of stars Andrew Johns and Danny Buderus, scored first again in the second half when Cory Paterson went over.

Penrith hit back through Geoff Daniela and the score was 18-18 with fifteen minutes left on the clock.

Then Newcastle's rising star, 19-year-old five-eighth Jarrod Mullen, showed both athleticism and leadership to steer the Knights home.

The youngster led from the front, alongside Terrence Seu Seu, who scored a double.

Panthers coach Mathew Elliot said the loss allowed him to pinpoint gaps in their game that he could fill before the season proper begins.

"We just need to work on a few things so it was good for us in that respect," Elliot said.

"A large part of the result was Newcastle's superior kicking game and our inability to hang onto the pill."

Knights coach Brian Smith welcomed back that winning feeling.

"We can't help ourselves, everyone likes to win, it feels better," Smith said.

Source: AAP

Raiders lose to QRL team

Canberra's odds as NRL wooden spoon favourites look set to blow out further after the Raiders suffered a shock 18-12 trial loss to a combined Queensland Cup outfit in Redcliffe.

In a mistake-riddled contest, a near full-strength Raiders side, who have been in pre-season training since December, failed to dominate a combined Brisbane Broncos/Redcliffe Dolphins outfit.

Ten members of Brisbane's Queensland Cup feeder team the Aspley Broncos and nine Dolphins combined to run in four tries to two against the Raiders.

Canberra led 6-4 at halftime but were eventually made to pay for their sloppiness, the Broncos-Dolphins running in three tries in seven minutes at the back-end of the second-half to take an unassailable 18-6 lead.

Wingers Denam Kemp and Gideon Mzembe, fullback Ryan Cullen and centre Nick Emmett all crossed for the home side while Adrian Purtell and Phil Graham scored the Raiders' tries.

Broncos utility forward John Te Reo and Kemp were standouts.

Youngster Kemp was unlucky not to grab a hat-trick after the flyer was put away before being denied by forward passes.

Broncos centre Joel Moon was also impressive.

Experienced Raiders hooker Lincoln Withers had a bad night as he pushed several passes, while axed Bronco Neville Costigan's road to redemption at Canberra began poorly with the utility forward quiet for most of the night.

Aspley Broncos coach Mark Gee said despite his side's scrappy performance it was "pleasing" to topple an NRL side.

"Both sides dropped a lot of ball but I thought our blokes were very good," he said.

"We struggled to get used to their fast pace in the first 20 minutes when they could have had a real job on us but were pulled up for mistakes.

"But for the final 60 minutes we matched it with them and got the job done."

Kemp and Dolphins five-eighth Chris Fox seemed to be the only casualties after leaving the field in the second half.

Broncos forward Derrick Watkins was put on report in the 26th minute for a high shot on Raiders prop Dane Tilse.

Canberra should have led by more than 6-4 at halftime after failing to make their mistake-ridden opponents pay.

But it was the Broncos/Dolphins who capitalised on Canberra's shortcomings after the break.

Source: AAP