@happy_tiger said in [Wests Tigers V NZ Warriors Trial Teams\.\.](/post/1122282) said:@Geo said in [Wests Tigers V NZ Warriors Trial Teams\.\.](/post/1122256) said:@happy_tiger said in [Wests Tigers V NZ Warriors Trial Teams\.\.](/post/1122206) said:@mike said in [Wests Tigers V NZ Warriors Trial Teams\.\.](/post/1122203) said:@happy_tiger said in [Wests Tigers V NZ Warriors Trial Teams\.\.](/post/1122190) said:@TheDaBoss said in [Wests Tigers V NZ Warriors Trial Teams\.\.](/post/1122158) said:Combinations key for Maguire in Rotorua trial
Author
Dan Talintyre
Timestamp
Wed 26 Feb 2020, 11:47 PM
Wests Tigers Head Coach Michael Maguire says combinations will be the key thing he's watching for in Sunday's trial match against the New Zealand Warriors in Rotorua as the focus continues to narrow for the 2020 season ahead.
Maguire has named a squad of 23 players for the cross-Tasman trial match for the second year in a row, with all the regular big names including Benji Marshall, Luke Brooks and Moses Mbye included for the visitors.
Having watched a number of the club's new faces trial strongly against the Penrith Panthers last Saturday, Maguire said seeing how the combinations between players develop would be the key thing for him this week and a deciding factor in who will force their way in to the Round 1 side.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing those combinations," Maguire said.
"We've done a lot of work in the pre-season and I've seen the boys grow throughout that time but it's now about getting out on the park and delivering a strong performance before we start the season.
"I think the combinations will be the big thing for us — whether it's the right edge, left edge or through the middle — they're all growing. It's going to be down to us to how they go in a game situation."
Wests Tigers new recruit Luciano Leilua
Wests Tigers new recruit Luciano Leilua
©NRL Photos
Having watched new recruits Zane Musgrove, Adam Doueihi, Billy Walters and Luciano Leilua all have their first game for the club last week, Maguire said he was excited to see the new places take the next step forward now in their second game.
"Trials is a little bit about blowing off the cobwebs," he said, "but it's also too about seeing how they're going to perform in the team and the unit and the way that we're playing.
"We've got big BJ [Leilua] coming in this week... and all our big players are playing so I'm really looking forward to watching those combinations grow throughout the game.
"We've been doing a lot of work for quite a couple of months on that but it's now about what they do on the field against the opposition."
Wests Tigers will kickoff against the New Zealand Warriors at 12:00pm AEDT on Sunday (2:00pm local time) in their final hit-out before the 2020 season officially gets underway for Maguire's side on March 15 against St. George-Illawarra.
So combinations are important now ...but they weren't important last week .....
No they weren’t. Last week was about giving the newbies a taste first grade.
So organize a trial against a Group side for the CC squad ....
Penrith treated the trial differently funnily enough ....many other clubs are treating both trials importantly
If we aren't ready to rock come Rd 1 ...we've got it wrong .....and I'm guessing many on here will blame everyone bar who they should point the finger at
Damn it..and I got in first and everything..
My replies are based on IQ level and cohesive replies ...wait your turn I will get to you eventually
I know you try and give a reasonable opinion with the knowledge you have about Rugby League Happy,but don't you think Madge would have been right onto working out who plays where and with who,he has new recruits but they are NRL level and only need some intense training runs with Madge coaching them to their ability ...He knows his top 17 and has picked his squad to be a competitive unit...this weeks trial is just about how their COMBINATIONS will go under NRL pressure and see how far they have come before the season starts...Madge knows more than I or anyone else does at this stage ...we can only speculate and hope his selections and coaching sees our team become a finals contender...cheers mate..