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The 2016 pre-season will continue to build momentum when the Newcastle Knights take on a team comprised of Parramatta Eels first-grade and reserve-grade players at No.2 Sportsground this Saturday evening.

With his best team still not set in stone, head coach Nathan Brown believes this match will allow him to experiment and assess ahead of the Club’s showcase trial against the Raiders on February 20.

“There will probably be a fair number that need to stay out as well as a fair number that need to play for different reasons,” Brown said of the match this weekend.

“By Wednesday we’ll have a fair idea. We’ll sit down on Tuesday to get a medical report and see how blokes are recovering.”

While it is likely the majority of the squad that travelled to the Auckland Nines won’t be playing, there were plenty of players that didn’t make the trip over who will be keen for a hit-out.

“Obviously Jack Stockwell missed most of last year and Mickey Paea is just coming back into the NRL,” Brown explained.

“We’ll judge each individual on their merit.”

With the 2016 NRL season less than a month away, Brown admitted he is still weighing up certain positions.

“We’re going to have to go a bit off gut feeling and a bit off training, I suppose.

“One or two problem positions might get resolved this Saturday, and then we’ll be able to take that on to Orange.”


Saturday February 13 – Trial match

Newcastle Knights v Parramatta / Wentworthville
NYC: 5pm
NRL: 7pm
Venue: Newcastle Sportsground No.2