'23 trials

[Lauren]

Jake Simpkin (Wests Tigers)​

With skipper Api Koroisau racing the clock to play in Round 1 after being ruled out of this week's match with a calf injury, all eyes will be on Jake Simpkin to make the most of his opportunity in the number nine jersey.

Linking up with Wests Tigers new-look forward pack including the likes of David Klemmer and Isaiah Papali’i, Sunday's clash against the Raiders comes as a good opportunity for Simpkin to cement a place on Tim Sheens’ bench or prove his claim for the starting role should Koroisau fail to be ready for Round 1.

Talented junior Rua Ngatikaura has been omitted from this weekend’s line-up all together – seemingly opening the door for the 21-year-old Toowomba product to likely to be handed the understudy role under Koroisau in 2023.

Your club's player to watch in Pre-season Challenge Week 2

The NRL Pre-Season Challenge returns for the final week with coaches set to test out their marquee signings and new combinations for the final time before the season kicks off in March.

www.nrl.com

 

[jadtiger]

Jake Simpkin (Wests Tigers)​

With skipper Api Koroisau racing the clock to play in Round 1 after being ruled out of this week's match with a calf injury, all eyes will be on Jake Simpkin to make the most of his opportunity in the number nine jersey.

Linking up with Wests Tigers new-look forward pack including the likes of David Klemmer and Isaiah Papali’i, Sunday's clash against the Raiders comes as a good opportunity for Simpkin to cement a place on Tim Sheens’ bench or prove his claim for the starting role should Koroisau fail to be ready for Round 1.

Talented junior Rua Ngatikaura has been omitted from this weekend’s line-up all together – seemingly opening the door for the 21-year-old Toowomba product to likely to be handed the understudy role under Koroisau in 2023.

Your club's player to watch in Pre-season Challenge Week 2

The NRL Pre-Season Challenge returns for the final week with coaches set to test out their marquee signings and new combinations for the final time before the season kicks off in March.

www.nrl.com

After Api the cupboard is very bare unfortunately.He gives poor service from dh and he needs to improve massively to have any future with us imo.I will be overjoyed to be proven wrong

 

[yeti]

Brooks calf is becoming really problematic .....wondering what other's thoughts are ??

He missed the last 7 weeks because of his calf and 5-6 weeks the previous season

I spoke to him on Monday night. He wanted to play and felt ready to do so, but the medical staff were just super cautious.

 

[earl]

I spoke to him on Monday night. He wanted to play and felt ready to do so, but the medical staff were just super cautious.

Did he mention the 5 year contract extension ?

 

[watersider]

Why would you bother trying to move Ponga to 5/8? I don't really get it.

He's fast and fullback frees him up and he's also a threat returning the ball. if you're moving him there to get more involved then just look at Tedesco and how everything revolves around him. Just doesn't really make sense to me. Lockyer moved successfully from fullback when he lost a bit of pace and was able to use his guile and skills still at 5/8, but Ponga's still real fast.

Why?

 

[watersider]

Hastings looks his usual self: smart player, busy and an organiser, but isn't big enough, fast enough or skilful enough to offer much threat. Will be interesting how he goes this year.

 

[the_third]

Hastings looks his usual self: smart player, busy and an organiser, but isn't big enough, fast enough or skilful enough to offer much threat. Will be interesting how he goes this year.

he's 6'1 and 95 kg's. Hardly not big enough

 

[Demps]

Hastings looks his usual self: smart player, busy and an organiser, but isn't big enough, fast enough or skilful enough to offer much threat. Will be interesting how he goes this year.

Cini is playing well...

Ponga, no good.
Knights = bottom 4

 

[watersider]

he's 6'1 and 95 kg's. Hardly not big enough

That's going to scare no one in the NRL.

I'm not saying he's too small, just that he's not particularly big physically like someone like latrell Mitchell or Schuster or even doueihi who can use their size to cause threat. So he's not a threat speed wise, not tricky and not big enough to cause defensive line any trouble.

I really liked Hastings for us, I'm not glad we got rid of him, just observing him and noticing it's a bit sleepy for the defenders.

 

[Tiger_Fanatic3]

Looks as Shaun Lane will be on the sidelines for an extended period
Huge loss

 

[Kaito]

Hastings looks his usual self: smart player, busy and an organiser, but isn't big enough, fast enough or skilful enough to offer much threat. Will be interesting how he goes this year.

He looked slow and lethargic, plays
at -1.5 speed haha. Gamble will
probably take his jersey off him at
some stage you would have to think.
They're not going to move ponga after
just signing Lachlan Miller to play FB

 

[Kaito]

Looks as Shaun Lane will be on the sidelines for an extended period
Huge loss

Suspected broken jaw & also Matt
Doorey the other 2nd rower looks like
a high ankle sprain. They're in a bit of
a mess with Matto out for 3 games,
Hopgood was playing lock tonight,
they'll move him and bring some 1
up from reserve grade. Sucks 4 them

 

[loklok]

Cini is playing well...

Ponga, no good.
Knights = bottom 4

Unfortunately demps I think there will be a gap again between the good sides and bad .lot of blowouts again this year

 

[innsaneink]

Whenever we try the tap back off a bomb it always goes forward

 

[Telltails]

Manly off to a flyer..

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

Cini is playing well...

Ponga, no good.
Knights = bottom 4

Knights last in 2023

 

[innsaneink]

Pauga getting a bath and manly carving up

 

[Tucker]

That young Manly centre Koula has something. Very fast and a good defender.

 

[KingRobbie]

That young Manly centre Koula has something. Very fast and a good defender.

Young too, will only get better.

 

[BrendonWT]

our 72-6 superiors are losing 20-0 to manly btw 😭