Think it's looking like low single figs from looking at forecast but a bit off yet. Wonder if Lisone will be here...

Here but not ready to play according to RS.
A few likely to debut, including Olpherts, Sangare, McDonnell and Ruan

Myler, Handley, Olpherts, Simpson, Tindall, Austin, Sezer, Sangare, Leeming, Holroyd, Gannon, McDonnell, Donaldson.

OConnor, Ruan, Field, Warren, Sinfield, Edwards, Edgell, Walters, Lumb, Smith, Gibbons, Johnson

Fusitua, Newman, Macdonald, Oledzki, Tetevano, Bentley, Martin, Smith, Lisone, Hooley, Roberts missing.

Very 'interesting' team strange no sezer or Austin

Very young squad named, I get the feeling that Smith doesn’t place too much relevance to these friendlies as some past coaches and sees them as an opportunity to give the younger players a go, im fine with that, last thing we need is first choice players picking up knocks.

Im sure ive read/seen Smith saying he doesn’t think that flogging players in pre season is necessary or helpful in the long run

Will be interesting to see how they go

Also he wasn’t joking about Gannon at stand off!

Amen to that. I'd like to see us get to the start of the season with the minimum amount of players injured/suspended. Obviously there is a balance to be struck in terms of match practice and combinations, but the spine of the team is unchanged, so we can afford to be risk averse.

Looks a pretty poor side with some experimenting going on. I'm still going though, be nice to see one or two of the young lads.

Agree. Not as if Rohan struggled to get the combinations working well last year, I'm happy for him to run things as he sees fit

Jeez how quickly I'd forgotten about the pre-game press conference.

The state of the questions lobbed at Smith from the RL press was possibly even worse than before. Smith must find it hard not to just laugh at some of the things they come out with.

Is Jack Sinfield injured?
Thought he would have been in that squad or does Smith not rate him?

You have to wonder at the journalists. One asked about how many games Sinfield may play in 2023 but did not ask why he was not involved on Boxing Day. Also where is Corey Johnson?

Not just what they ask but how some of them appear slumped over their laptop 'aright rowan, yeah cant complain really'. They're embarrassing.

Enjoyable game that we held our own for 70minutes with a mish mash of a team with no halfbacks, some of the young kids looked really good. Experience told in the final 10 minutes.

Hope leeming is ok

You’d have to assume that both not rated by the coach. We can’t argue really…….