2020 Pre Season and Trial Games

https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2020/02/10/pics-rapid-pace-training/

So the guy in the 3rd pic.
He has been training with the top squad since Moga and Tuala picked up injuries.
He seemed to be playing centre inside Soper-Lawlor in the seconds side.
I think it's Dylan Lucas. He played under 20s last year after joining us from somewhere on the South Coast. He played 5/8 for about half the season and then was shifted to the centres. He had 2 games of reserve grade as well.
He looks a lot bigger than last year, or it might be someone else with a similar face.
 
The interesting thing about Lucas getting called up from reserves is that Toby Marks did the whole pre Christmas period. Marks might be injured or they might have decided he's a winger, or Lucas might have trained really well and earned a call up.
 
9s squad has been named

No Huth or Randall. No hookers at all in fact.

1. Aidan Guerra

2. Kurt Mann

3. Nathaniel Sasagi

4. Bayden Searle

5. Hymel Hunt

6. Gehamat Shibasaki

7. Starford To'a

8. Tex Hoy

9. Sione Mata'utia

10. Tyronne Roberts-Davis

11. Matt Soper-Lawler

12. Pasami Saulo

13. Jirah Momoisea

14. Jacob Saifiti

15. Brodie Jones

16. Kurt Gidley

17. Mason Lino

18. Mitchell Barnett
 
Plenty of halves in Mann, Sasagi, Searle, Lino and Gidley - I suppose they'll have to take turns at dummy half
 
krustykraz said:
Is Sasagi's name Nathaniel and not Simi?
I've seen it written as both.

Either way I'm hoping he tares it up.
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It's actually Nathanael on his profile and last year they were usually spelling it Nathaneel, but he goes by Simi apparently.
 
I’m definitely surprised that neither Huth or Randall made the cut. Apart from that it’s a pretty good squad and I’m excited to see all our juniors and trial players run around.
 
Mitch Barnett is the only one in the squad who should have a round 1 spot locked down, but i'm starting to wonder about him now.
 
I think you might be overanalysing things a little too much, Billy.

Barnett’s won POTY twice now, he won’t be missing out.
 
Searle is my tip for a surprize packet.
I watched him in round 1 of Flegg last year and thought he didn't have many skills, but he sure had a go.
As a halfback he took the ball to the line every chance he got, and in defence he lined up right in the middle of the field and chased contact with any forward he could.
His defensive stats when he went up to reserve grade look bad if stats are all you have to go on. He missed at least 5 and up to 7 tackles in every game, but he made as many as 32 in one game. He basically has a crack at anyone and never hides in defence.
He improved every game last year and finished the season as our reserve grade halfback with more fantasy points per game (44) than Lino or Crossland, and that's after just a Jersey Flegg pre season. He got all those fantasy points because he runs a lot, tackles a lot and never stops working.
This year he has done the whole firstgrade off season and seems to be in everything from the photos of training.
I can't remember the way Scott Dureau described him last year, but he basically said he never stops trying.
I look forward to seeing how he goes after a very strong pre season lining up against Pearce.
 
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Billy said:
Mitch Barnett is the only one in the squad who should have a round 1 spot locked down, but i'm starting to wonder about him now.
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The name I was surprised that was missing was Tuala. Hunt and Shibasaki are both there, not sure what that says about the pecking order. Tuala isn't injured, is he?

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Owey said:
The name I was surprised that was missing was Tuala. Hunt and Shibasaki are both there, not sure what that says about the pecking order. Tuala isn't injured, is he?

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He ruptured his testicle I think (from one of Tooheys articles). Not sure if that's the injury keeping him out.
 
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