Our 9's squad

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Maybe he was injured at training...there's always one every year...SKD with a sliced liver or kidney one year.

I thought that may have been the case mate, but he was selected in the Poocastle trial the same weekend.

[stsae]

Link: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...214-32qmy.html

Sydney Roosters kick off their NRL title defence in low-key manner

February 14, 2014 - 3:11PM
Michael Carayannis
Rugby League Writer

Wyong seems an unlikely destination to begin a premiership defence but that is exactly where the Roosters will start their quest for back to back titles in a low-key start on Saturday night.
Featuring 10 players who won last year's premiership, the Roosters will play an understrength Newcastle team at Morrie Breen Oval in the club's first outing since beating Manly in last year's grand final.
The likes Anthony Minichiello, Sonny Bill Williams, Michael Jennings and Boyd Cordner will feature in a game that will double as the Roosters' final hit-out before their World Club Challenge game against Wigan next Saturday night.
With Trent Robinson and Jason Taylor in New Zealand for the Auckland Nines, assistants Craig Fitzgibbon and Steve McNamara will take charge. Fitzgibbon said the pre-season clash was vital in the lead up to playing Wigan.
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"We felt like it was pretty important to get some footy in before the World Club Challenge," Fitzgibbon said. "Wigan have had three or four games now. It would've been a real tough ask to play them without any footy under our belt. It's important they get some field time together so we'll give them a small taste. We'll start them up and then play them by ear. We won't be stretching them for the full 80 [minutes]."
The Roosters other premiership winners including Mitchell Pearce, Jake Friend, Aiden Guerra, Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Daniel Tupou are in Auckland with only Luke O'Donnell (retirement) and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (injury) not featuring this weekend from the grand final team.
While Tuivasa-Sheck is expected to be fit for the round one clash against South Sydney he is set to miss the Wigan game after breaking his leg in the Kiwis' World Cup final loss to Australia. Mitchell Aubusson will line up at centre against the Knights, and a strong performance will mean the utility plays there against Wigan with Kenny-Dowall shifting to the wing in Tuivasa-Sheck's absence.
"Luke has been a loss in his presence," Fitzgibbon said. "He was an old and experienced head. It's important for Aubo who plays more back-row then he does centre. Centre is one of those positions if you haven't played it for a while, it's quite technical defensively and in positional play. We just felt like with the juggling of the squad it would be good to play him at centre. We know he can handle the back-row role.
"He is comfortable at centre too so it's about giving him some time there."
While no club has won successive titles in a full competition since Brisbane in 1992-93, Fitzgibbon went close being part of four grand finals in five years at the Roosters. The Roosters won just one title in that period – a 2002 victory over the Warriors – highlighting how difficult it is to go back to back.
"Obviously when you're up near the top everyone is coming to get you," Fitzgibbon said. "They play above and beyond sometimes. If you're good enough to get to the top, technically speaking you should be good enough to stay there. Everyone finds a way to beat you. We're hoping to buck that trend. We know it's going to be really hard – that's for sure."



Makes sense now why Maubs isn't in the 9s squad.

RTS to miss the WCC.

SKiD to the wing, Maubs to the centres.

Playing in the trial gives him a run in that spot.

[Guest]

For anyone interested the official nrl app will be streaming the Auckland nines .. Only 2 dollars for 7 days and if your with Telstra you don't pay for data charges ...