MACQUARIE Scorpions will get some valuable feedback on their season preparations when they host rugby league heavyweights Western Suburbs in a trial at Lyall Peacock Field this Saturday.
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Macquarie coach Barrie Moore said Western Suburbs are the benchmark in the Newcastle competition.
‘‘They’ve won the last two first grade premierships and the club championship,’’ Moore said. ‘‘Although they are only trials there is always a great deal of rivalry between both clubs and it will be a good hit-out for us.’’
There is an optimistic mood at the club which was enhanced when the Scorpions performed strongly when it hosted trials in all grades against the strong Central Coast club, The
Entrance, on March 7.
‘‘The effort by all the grades left the club coaching staff excited about the start of the competition,’’ football secretary Stephen Woodbridge said.
In the first grade game, Macquarie and The Entrance scored four tries apiece to share the honours – although Macquarie was missing four quality players in Danny Vaughan, Blake Gallen, Nathan Cantor and new recruit Mitch Manson.
‘‘The young squad showed enough on the day to convince the coach that the Scorpions had recruited well during the off season,’’ Woodbridge said.
The Scorpions are in a very strong position with enough under-19 players to field two teams and what appear to be quality senior sides based on the results from the first three trials against Windsor Wolves, Kincumber and The Entrance.
‘‘Provided we don’t receive any serious injuries throughout the year, there is no reason why the sides cannot make the semi-finals in 2015,’’ Woodbridge said.
Moore said he has been impressed with the way the new players had fitted into the club. Progress shown by juniors such as Matt Geoffrey, Haine Ropati, Daniel Faafete and Jordan Noble was also encouraging, he said.
Saturday’s trial matches against Wests kick off at 11am with the under-19s. First grade will start at 3pm.
Season opener
THE withdrawal this year of Port Stephens Sharks from the Newcastle Rugby League first grade premiership forced the competition’s board of directors to create a new draw. Macquarie Scorpions will meet Lakes United at Cahill Oval, Belmont, in the first round on Saturday, April 11. The Scorpions’ first home game will be against Central Newcastle on Saturday, April 18.