Billed as the biggest event of the NRL pre-season, South Sydney’s return to Redfern looks like turning into a whimper with the Rabbitohs naming a virtual reserve grade line-up for Sunday’s clash with Wests Tigers.
Coach Jason Taylor has opted to rest almost all of his A-list stars – skipper Roy Asotasi, Craig Wing, John Sutton, Nathan Merritt, Chris Sandow, David Fa’alogo, Issac Luke – along with new recruits Colin Best and Rhys Wesser, to watch the game from the new Redfern Oval grandstand.
With Tigers coach Tim Sheens trotting out World Cup winning playmaker Benji Marshall and new recruit from Super League Gareth Ellis – the sold-out clash is shaping up as a decidedly one-sided match-up.
Not exactly the start to the season the Souths members would have been anticipating when ‘members only’ tickets went on sale late last year, with virtual unknowns such as halfback Jarryd Hogan and outside backs Shaune Corrigan and Chris McQueen left to carry the load.
Taylor on Tuesday said he would name his strongest possible side for the club’s final pre-season hit-out, the traditional Charity Shield clash against St George Illawarra on February 28.
Sheens has spilt his squad into two teams, the first one a powerful side featuring Dene Halatau and Chris Lawrence as well as Marshall and Ellis, while the second line-up is made up of predominantly Toyota Cup players.
Teams:
Rabbitohs – Fetuli Talanoa, Shaune Corrigan, Beau Champion, Jamie Simpson, Chris McQueen, Luke Capewell, Jarryd Hogan, Scott Geddes (capt), Beau Falloon, Garret Crossman, Eddy Pettybourne, Jaiman Lowe, Ben Lowe. Interchange: Dave Tyrrell, Daniel Sayegh, Brad Lupi, Samu Wara, Sean Dalton, Jason Clark, Aaron Hammett, Adam Reynolds, Kane Morgan, Malcolm Webster.
Tigers – Team 1: Shannon McDonnell, Taniela Tuiaki, Tim Moltzen, Chris Lawrence, Beau Ryan, John Morris, Benji Marshall, Bryce Gibbs, Dene Halatau, Keith Galloway, Gareth Ellis, Chris Heighington, Liam Fulton.
Team 2: Shannon Gallant, Sean Meaney, Blake Ayshford, Rhys Hanbury, Lee Bennett, Josh Lewis, Wayde Dunley, Jarrod Farlow, David Gower, Danny Galea, Daine Laurie, Nathan Waters, Matt Davidson, Blake Lazarus, Willie Mataka, Nu Akeripa, Ryan Carr, Rocky Trimarchi.
Westy
Guest
My advice is get their for the warm up game between Souths Legends team and the Tigers Legends team . Sounds like the best entertainment.
rob whyte
Guest
As a former player who played for the one club on the coast and has seen the progression and the increased amount of players ,i could think of nothing better than the central coast having its own side to follow as afan and as a player knowing that the impossible dream is right there to grasp if thats what you desire so much.I like many other juniors from the coast had to travel to try out for the sydney teams which meant alot of travelling just to train,at least having a team on the coast the players trying out would have alot more energy and time to put a greater effort into succeeding and the employment this would generate for the coast would be very advantagious to the area,UP THE COASTIES.
col
Guest
good to see at least 5 present and former bears players getting a run for the bunnies.. .Bellamy supports Bears bid" Central Coast express advocate 4/2/09 while on the CC watching the Bears and Storm juniors run around on the weekend Bellamy who attended the matches had this to say...he felt the Coast deserved it's own first grade team,but confessed to feeling "a little bit nervous " about the Bears plans. "We couldn't stop that,and we wouldn't want to,to be quite honest,because having a first grade team up herewould be good for the Coast". he said..