New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1<\/a>.<\/p>\nAnd Fletcher Sharpe and Sandon Smith showed that the race to partner Dylan Brown in the Knights spine is far from over in eye-catching displays.<\/p>\n
And the Bulldogs showed they have two halves of their own waiting in the wings to keep Matt Burton and Lachlan Galvin on their toes. <\/p>\n
Read on for the Talking Points from NRL Trials week 1. <\/p>\n
CLIFFORD OR PURDUE?: WHO PARTNERS DEARDEN IN THE HALVES<\/p>\n
Yet to decide on who Tom Dearden\u2019s halves partner will be, reports from Cowboys camp during pre-season indicated that Jaxon Purdue was the clear frontrunner for the role.<\/p>\n
However, a stellar performance from Jake Clifford in the halves against the Bulldogs on Saturday has created a selection headache for Todd Payten heading into their Round 1 clash in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the first opportunity we\u2019ve got to put some extended time into him as a five-eighth,\u201d Cowboys coach Todd Payten said on Purdue in the Fox League pre-match show.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s played five-eighth all of his junior footy. The only time he\u2019s played centre is at NRL footy, so essentially he\u2019s playing out of position. Haven\u2019t made my mind up about that Vegas team depends on who\u2019s fit.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the opening half against the Bulldogs, Clifford provided three try assists and helped set up two more.<\/p>\n
Jake Clifford is in a two-way battle with Jaxon Purdue to join Tom Dearden in the halves for Round 1.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Featuring in 14 appearances last season, the 28-year-old took on the defensive line with his running game and was able to put the returning Heilum Luki over the line before a well-placed kick saw Robert Derby double the score.<\/p>\n
Continuing to try and lock down a spot in the side come Round 1, he would then assist a Kai O\u2019Donnell try and placed pressure on opposing fullback Taye Cochrane on a kick-chase, forcing him to drop the ball.<\/p>\n
Premiership-winning halfback Cooper Cronk said in commentary that Clifford was \u201cthe difference\u201d between the two sides and was \u201ca class above\u201d.<\/p>\n
While Clifford featured strongly on the field, the same couldn\u2019t be said for Jaxon Purdue, who struggled to make a decisive impact against a rookie Bulldogs outfit.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are different styles of players but I think they both are playing to their strengths and we\u2019ve seen that today and though they both had a really strong trial leading into next week\u2019s one and it\u2019s going to be a big headache for the coach,\u201d Tom Dearden said on Fox League.<\/p>\n
Coops breaks down Galvins’ Dogs role | 00:56<\/p>\n
DRAGONS UNLEASH NEW GREAT HALFBACK HOPE <\/p>\n
The race for the Dragons\u2019 halves spots could now be down to four after young halfback Kade Reed announced himself as a star of the future with a superb display in the Dragons\u2019 28-18 trial win over the Knights. <\/p>\n
Reed finished with 30 run metres, an offload, two linebreak assists, two try assists and a try in an eye-catching display. However, it was his intercept and a length-of-the-field try-saving tackle on opposite Sandon Smith that showed he is made of the right stuff to be an NRL playmaker. <\/p>\n
While new recruit Daniel Atkinson and incumbent halfback Kyle Flanagan, who both didn\u2019t play against the Knights, are expected to start Round 1, Reed\u2019s performance has given Shane Flanagan a welcome headache. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat performance from Kade Reed does it put pressure on the Dragons halves or not?\u201d Braith Anasta said on the Fox League post-match show.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know there has been a lot of talk around it heading into the season and there will be for the first few weeks, but that was a pretty stellar performance from Kade Reed. He was outstanding.\u201d <\/p>\n
Cooper Cronk believes Reed won\u2019t start the season, but the 19-year-old will be keeping Atkinson and Flanagan honest from day one of the season. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think Atkinson and Flanagan will be the halves for the Dragons, but it is not set in concrete. If those guys have a couple of poor performances or the Dragons don\u2019t win a couple of games,\u201d Cronk said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you come out and watch young kids play, all you want to see is a little bit of football instinct and some competitive juices. He chased down Sandon Smith and he did knock him and that\u2019s a good competitive trait to have. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe threw the ball over the top to Sloan and kicked and scored himself, so this is no doubt a kid that has got a future.\u201d <\/p>\n
Kade Reed announced himself as a star of the future.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Kieran Foran believes the Dragons suddenly look like having some depth in the halves after Reed\u2019s performance. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is good they have some depth in the halves because you are going to get injuries over the course of a long season and to see how Reed played tonight, it gives the Dragons a security blanket knowing that they have him there,\u201d Foran said. <\/p>\n
Reed produced a brilliant grubber for himself to score and converted his own try to give the Dragons an early lead, with Foran praising the Patrician Brothers\u2019 Blacktown graduate for backing himself in a high-leverage moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom what I have seen of him early he hasn\u2019t been afraid to chance his arm,\u201d Foran said of Reed. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe looks a confident young halfback and that\u2019s what you want to see in these young halves coming through in your club. You want to see them have the ability to try things and chance their arm, and as we saw there with young Kade, that was awesome work.\u201d <\/p>\n
Dan Ginnane, meanwhile, revealed that Dragons coach Shane Flanagan had had plenty of positive things to say about Reed even before Saturday\u2019s trial, adding that rival clubs can look elsewher because the talented halfback is already contracted until 2028 <\/p>\n
\u201cShane Flanagan has said he is fit, fast and kicks well and he\u2019s a great competitor,\u201d Ginnane reported. <\/p>\n
\u201cFrom what we have seen, he has lived up to every one of those plaudits from Flanagan. The trials always unearth an unknown and tonight it is this little No.7 Kade Reed.\u201d <\/p>\n
Reed impressed with his footy instincts for the Dragons.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Foran was impressed by Reed\u2019s play of the game in chasing down Smith with a try-saving tackle, declaring it showed the youngster was a \u201creal competitor\u201d.<\/p>\n
Cronk, meanwhile, summed up Reed\u2019s performance against Smith by praising the young half\u2019s drive to get involved in the contest.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got that competitive nature which is really good to have in a No.7. He is just there or thereabouts and that instinct try is something that you cannot coach,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Dragons young gun scores genius try | 00:18<\/p>\n
FUTURE BRIGHT IN BELMORE<\/p>\n
The Canterbury Bulldogs may have fallen short and lost to the Cowboys on Saturday, but they showed their faithful that they have an extremely bright future ahead of them.<\/p>\n
Entering the match with only six players who had prior NRL experience, the Bulldogs pushed their opponents to the limit throughout the 80 minutes and scored six of the last seven tries to close out the contest.<\/p>\n
A member of the club\u2019s 2024 premiership-winning Jersey Flegg Cup squad, skilful five-eighth Joseph Teaupa led the charge in the second half with three try assists and is likely to contend with Lachlan Galvin for the No.6 jersey in the coming seasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been the player of the second half,\u201d commentator Cooper Cronk said about the playmaker on Fox League.<\/p>\n
The Bulldogs showed they have a bright future ahead of them.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, incumbent Under-19s Queensland fullback Raymond Puru had 78 running metres off just four runs after replacing Taye Cochrane at the back of the field, who had four tackle busts, one try assist, one line-break and 133 running metres on his own.<\/p>\n
Aaymon Fitzgibbon (son of Craig Fitzgibbon), former Wests Tigers and Under-19s NSW Blues forward Justin Matamua, Louis Grossemy, Jope Rauqe, 2025 SG Ball Cup premiership-winner Mikey Nassar and rookie winger Cooper Toy crossed the line for tries.<\/p>\n
\u201cCooper Toy is a guy who came through our pathways system,\u201d Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo said on the Fox League pre-match show.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe joined us last year and had some full-time training this year. He\u2019s got a lot of speed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fitzgibbon scores first Bulldogs try | 00:30<\/p>\n
HEILUM LUKI\u2019S STATEMENT RETURN AFTER 18 MONTHS<\/p>\n
After playing his last game over 18 months ago, Heilum Luki made his successful return to the field over the weekend in the Cowboys\u2019 win over the Bulldogs.<\/p>\n
On the cusp of State of Origin selection in 2024, the back-rower suffered an ACL injury during last year\u2019s pre-season, ruling him out for the entirety of last season and creating a big hole in the club\u2019s forward pack.<\/p>\n
A two-time Samoan international, Luki was in career-best form when he was relegated to the sidelines and will be eager to get back to his best this year as the Cowboys aim to lock down a spot in the finals and coach Todd Payten fights for his career.<\/p>\n
Playing limited minutes, Luki scored a try, made 68 running metres and produced one line-break in his return to the field.<\/p>\n
Heilum Luki returned to the field over the weekend.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels good to be back out there playing some footy with the boys and the body\u2019s feeling good and the knee\u2019s feeling good,\u201d Luki said on Fox League.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was draining, especially not playing footy, but you sort of just get on with it (and) just get stuck straight into the rehab. Happy now that the body is feeling good and I\u2019m just back out here playing footy again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m feeling really confident. I\u2019ve had a pretty good pre-season. Obviously, it\u2019s been a long year doing my rehab and stuff, but I\u2019ve had a good pre-season and I\u2019m looking forward to next week.<\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully, I can play a few more minutes and then get a starting spot each week. We\u2019ve definitely got a heap of strong players that we can play off so looking forward to Round 1 and playing in Vegas.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a great start to the season from Luki, who coach Payten said had already shown promising signs in the summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s looked a million dollars,\u201d Payten told Fox League pre-game.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was clear for us all to see how much he was missed. We were looking for a short stint out of him today to build some confidence going into next week\u2019s main trial.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s in great shape.\u201d <\/p>\n
Fitzgibbon scores first Bulldogs try | 00:30<\/p>\n
SHARPE ADDS TO KNIGHTS’ HALVES DILEMMA<\/p>\n
The start of the 2026 NRL regular season is weeks away from beginning, but the Newcastle Knights are yet to make a choice on who will accompany Dylan Brown in the halves come Round 1 in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
While it seemed that Sandon Smith was the clear frontrunner to play in the halves, Fletcher Sharpe produced a good showing in his first match back since suffering a lacerated kidney and damaged spleen at the back end of last year\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n
Able to produce highlights in an instant, Sharpe produced a line-break assist and a try assist before being shifted to the centres and later the fullback spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t need to invite Fletcher Sharpe into the game; he is as dangerous as anyone with second-phase footy, and he showed great execution there,\u201d Kieran Foran said on Fox League.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the great conundrum of Newcastle, Fletcher Sharpe is so good on the ball, but they have got Dylan Brown and Sandon Smith on good money,\u201d Dan Ginnane said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey have got Kalyn Ponga at fullback, and Justin Holbrook said he doesn\u2019t want to play this man on the wing. What do you do with him?\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cCentre?\u201d Foran said. <\/p>\n
\u201cLook it is a really hard one, but I could not leave this guy out of the team. <\/p>\n
Fletcher SharpeSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he is such an X-factor in any footy team, but you put him around the likes of Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Brown, he is just so threatening when he runs the footy. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf I am Justin it is a healthy headache to have, but he is going to have to find a place to put him somewhere in the 13.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve Roach suggested the Knights could use Sharpe as an impact player off the bench, but Foran pushed back against that idea, declaring he \u201cwouldn\u2019t want to waste him sitting on the bench for 40 minutes\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s that good,\u201d Foran added, while Ginnane said \u201ca lot\u201d of Newcastle\u2019s positive plays in attack last year came off the speedster.<\/p>\n
Sandon Smith impressed at No.7 for the Knights.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
While Sharpe looked positive in the halves, so did Sandon Smith. <\/p>\n
Despite finishing the match with three errors to his name, Smith got a try assist of his own and would have another if Francis Manuleleua hadn\u2019t overrun his line and stayed behind the pass. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe has done all he can, I thought it was an impressive performance,\u201d Cooper Cronk said of Smith. <\/p>\n
\u201cOne of his first plays was almost an intercept, but then he fought back with a couple of runs and when you talk about Smith he did things in the first half for the Knights that he has done at different stages of his Roosters career.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scheduled to play the Cowboys in Las Vegas, newly appointed coach Justin Holbrook will have one more match to watch before he makes a decision on his halves pairing for the opening round of the season.<\/p>\n
Smith finds Schiller for acrobatic try | 00:32<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The first trials of the 2026 NRL Pre-season Challenge threw up some starring displays that have only made…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":467057,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[2095,64,63,689,66965,18194,7618,7622,141573,238840,238846,11101,238843,4738,12732,4437,238829,44328,238842,222174,238824,10744,238835,238825,46859,763,238838,238839,69447,39271,27156,217322,1816,238831,229530,238848,28053,4425,11738,150056,72590,4484,4617,2623,222177,238849,238845,4746,238836,761,762,2627,673,4495,2041,2067,158,677,33064,122318,238828,238822,238827,234742,238847,238841,11368,1077,238832,7623,27153,4571,238833,238823,217323,4583,85,238830,120657,47895,11375,7663,777,776,238844,7619,33863,2614,4515,238837,80792,80790,238826,238834],"class_list":["post-467056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-america","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-belmore","tag-braith-anasta","tag-cameron-ciraldo","tag-canterbury-bulldogs","tag-career-best-form","tag-clear-frontrunner","tag-confident-young-halfback","tag-cooper-cronk","tag-cover-tackle","tag-craig-fitzgibbon","tag-dan-ginnane","tag-daniel-atkinson","tag-defence-tries","tag-defensive-line","tag-dragons-young","tag-ethan-lee-chalk","tag-explosive-running-style","tag-fletcher-sharpe","tag-football-instinct","tag-footy-instincts","tag-footy-team","tag-fox-league","tag-genius-try","tag-halfback-hope","tag-halves-headache","tag-halves-pairing","tag-halves-partner","tag-halves-spots","tag-impact-player","tag-incredible-recovery-tackle","tag-incumbent-halfback","tag-instinct-try","tag-jake-clifford","tag-james-schiller","tag-jaxon-purdue","tag-junior-footy","tag-justin-holbrook","tag-kieran-foran","tag-lachlan-galvin","tag-las-vegas","tag-lee-chalk","tag-length-of-the-field-try-saving","tag-louis-grossemy","tag-mark-st-john","tag-mikey-nassar","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nevada","tag-new-south-wales","tag-newcastle-knights","tag-north-america","tag-northern-america","tag-nrl","tag-oceania","tag-opening-round","tag-pathways-system","tag-post-match-show","tag-pre-match-show","tag-proud-dad","tag-raymond-puru","tag-real-competitor","tag-red-v-no-7","tag-regular-season","tag-robert-derby","tag-rookie-winger","tag-run-metres","tag-running-metres","tag-sandon-smith","tag-scores-genius","tag-second-phase-footy","tag-selection-headache","tag-shane-flanagan","tag-sports","tag-starring-displays","tag-stellar-performance","tag-steve-roach","tag-tackle-busts","tag-talking-points","tag-todd-payten","tag-tom-dearden","tag-trial-win","tag-try-assist","tag-try-saving-tackle","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-wests-tigers","tag-young-guns-race","tag-young-halfback","tag-young-halves","tag-young-kids-play","tag-young-playmaker-heading"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=467056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467056\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/467057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=467056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=467056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=467056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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