Eels good experience for NSW Cup

Newcastle Knights NSW Cup coach Rick Stone said despite a 46-10 score line, his team stood up well against a much stronger Parramatta Eels outfit on the weekend in Armidale.

“The Eels played a fair few of their top twenty-five players and we didn’t play many of ours so there was obviously a fair bit of difference between our two sides,” he said.

“It was a difficult task and a big step up for most of them but as the game went on they really warmed to the task.

“Overall it was a good hit out and our young players will be better for the experience.

“We probably need to look at taking a stronger side if we are going to do the same thing next year.”

Stone said he is hoping to build a squad of 40-players for the upcoming NSW Cup season.

“Of our contracted Knights’ players, Peter and Chanel Mata’utia as well as Chad Redman did well for us,” Stone said.

“Local players Brenton Horwood and Ben Tupou who are currently trialling with us also played pretty well.

“We need a good half a dozen to fifteen players to be a strong team and we are looking for depth in all positions.

“All the boys who have been training with me this summer have been doing a great job and I think we will see an improvement next time we play.”

The Knights next trial will take place against the Windsor Wolves on Sunday February 17 at Lyall Peacock Oval.

“The squad I have available to me will depend on how many players Wayne (Bennett) takes to Coffs Harbour,” the coach explained.

“Anyone who doesn’t play against Souths will probably play for the NSW Cup the next day.

“In the next couple of weeks I will get a stronger squad and we will be able to start moving towards the squad we will have for round one.”

NSW Cup pre-season schedule:

Sunday 17th February 2013
Lyall Peacock Oval, Toronto
4pm: NYC Newcastle Knights v Penrith Panthers
6pm: NSW Cup Newcastle Knights v Windsor Wolves

Sunday 24th February 2013
Lyall Peacock Oval, Toronto
5pm: NSW Cup Newcastle Knights v Manly Sea Eagles