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NRL trials 2023: Injury carnage as Xavier Savage and Justin Olam suffer serious injuries | Daily Telegraph
Canterbury’s re-build under rookie coach Cameron Ciraldo has passed its first test with an impressive 34-18 win against Canberra in Moruya on Sunday afternoon.
Ciraldo’s troops looked well drilled, and confident, outclassing an undermanned Raiders outfit.
The Bulldogs will get another shot in the arm next week against Cronulla with Ciraldo set to inject Viliame Kikau, Tevita Pangai Junior, Matt Burton and flyer Josh Addo-Carr into the starting side.
LIKES
CANTERBURY
RAKE REVELATION
For almost 10 years Canterbury have been searching for a hooker as worthy of the No.9 jumper as the wiley Michael Ennis.
Finally, in Parramatta recruit Reed Mahoney, the Bulldogs have the answer to at least one of their spine conundrums.
Mahoney’s class was on full display in the first half as the grand final hooker looked right at home pulling the reins in Muroya.
Not only did Mahoney direct traffic in attack, his up tempo style helped Canterbury get on the front foot early from the kick-off.
Reed Mahoney is a key addition at the Bulldogs.
Reed Mahoney is a key addition at the Bulldogs.
When he wasn’t poking holes in the Raiders defence, he was probing to do so, linking up with both sides of the field.
In control of the ruck, clean, crisp service came easy for Mahoney with halfback Kyle Flanagan the biggest beneficiary.
But he also wasn’t afraid to run when the opportunity presented itself.
If Ciraldo can nail his fullback appointment this season, the Bulldogs are poised to benefit from what has the potential to be one of the most improved spines this season.
CONNECTION
Penrith’s back to back titles were underpinned by the mottos ‘Everest’ and ‘Top Gun’ with Ciraldo a key figure in bringing the themes to life.
He’s done something similar in his rookie season at Canterbury. This time, the theme is ‘connection’.
With a slew of new faces, Ciraldo understood the importance of connection to building not only combinations in attack but strengthening the Bulldogs’ defence.
Whenever the playing group is in the same room, Ciraldo wants them to put their phones away and get to know each other, to connect.
The result of which can already be seen.
“To the boys’ credit they have bought right into it and have been really good. Everything we have done, they have attacked at 100 percent. They have come together as a group, which has been the best thing and most important thing for us,” Ciraldo said.
While trial form can at times be taken with a grain of salt, the improvements are obvious. The spine combined well in attack, as did the outside backs, and players were in sync in defence, missing only one tackle in the first half. Ciraldo’s rejuvenated Canterbury, also completed at over 90 per cent in the first half.
CANTERBURY
Josh Reynolds’ second coming at Canterbury teased a fairytale finish as the club cult hero crashed over the tryline in the first half.
But a try in his first game in his beloved Canterbury colours in almost seven years wasn’t to be for Reynolds, who was ruled to have been held up in-goal.
“He just loves being in Belmore, loves the Blue and White. He just loves footy. I said at the start if our team can have a little bit of Josh Reynolds in it then we’ll have a good team. He was so happy to put the jersey back on, he got a bit emotional. To see him lay the law down there for the boys shows what it meant for him to be in the jersey. It’s a long season ahead and I’m sure Josh is going to play a part for us,” Ciraldo said
Canterbury’s re-build under rookie coach Cameron Ciraldo has passed its first test with an impressive 34-18 win against Canberra in Moruya on Sunday afternoon.
Ciraldo’s troops looked well drilled, and confident, outclassing an undermanned Raiders outfit.
The Bulldogs will get another shot in the arm next week against Cronulla with Ciraldo set to inject Viliame Kikau, Tevita Pangai Junior, Matt Burton and flyer Josh Addo-Carr into the starting side.
LIKES
CANTERBURY
RAKE REVELATION
For almost 10 years Canterbury have been searching for a hooker as worthy of the No.9 jumper as the wiley Michael Ennis.
Finally, in Parramatta recruit Reed Mahoney, the Bulldogs have the answer to at least one of their spine conundrums.
Mahoney’s class was on full display in the first half as the grand final hooker looked right at home pulling the reins in Muroya.
Not only did Mahoney direct traffic in attack, his up tempo style helped Canterbury get on the front foot early from the kick-off.
Reed Mahoney is a key addition at the Bulldogs.
Reed Mahoney is a key addition at the Bulldogs.
When he wasn’t poking holes in the Raiders defence, he was probing to do so, linking up with both sides of the field.
In control of the ruck, clean, crisp service came easy for Mahoney with halfback Kyle Flanagan the biggest beneficiary.
But he also wasn’t afraid to run when the opportunity presented itself.
If Ciraldo can nail his fullback appointment this season, the Bulldogs are poised to benefit from what has the potential to be one of the most improved spines this season.
CONNECTION
Penrith’s back to back titles were underpinned by the mottos ‘Everest’ and ‘Top Gun’ with Ciraldo a key figure in bringing the themes to life.
He’s done something similar in his rookie season at Canterbury. This time, the theme is ‘connection’.
With a slew of new faces, Ciraldo understood the importance of connection to building not only combinations in attack but strengthening the Bulldogs’ defence.
Whenever the playing group is in the same room, Ciraldo wants them to put their phones away and get to know each other, to connect.
The result of which can already be seen.
“To the boys’ credit they have bought right into it and have been really good. Everything we have done, they have attacked at 100 percent. They have come together as a group, which has been the best thing and most important thing for us,” Ciraldo said.
While trial form can at times be taken with a grain of salt, the improvements are obvious. The spine combined well in attack, as did the outside backs, and players were in sync in defence, missing only one tackle in the first half. Ciraldo’s rejuvenated Canterbury, also completed at over 90 per cent in the first half.
CANTERBURY
Josh Reynolds’ second coming at Canterbury teased a fairytale finish as the club cult hero crashed over the tryline in the first half.
But a try in his first game in his beloved Canterbury colours in almost seven years wasn’t to be for Reynolds, who was ruled to have been held up in-goal.
“He just loves being in Belmore, loves the Blue and White. He just loves footy. I said at the start if our team can have a little bit of Josh Reynolds in it then we’ll have a good team. He was so happy to put the jersey back on, he got a bit emotional. To see him lay the law down there for the boys shows what it meant for him to be in the jersey. It’s a long season ahead and I’m sure Josh is going to play a part for us,” Ciraldo said
