Pat Robards returns to the Maitland Pickers first grade line-up after a horror start to the season.
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The young back-rower will be a welcome addition to a Pickers team, which struggled defensively against Western Suburbs conceding 56 points in the mud-heap at Harker Oval on Sunday.
The Pickers are at home to South Newcastle on Saturday and were to finalise their side after training on Thursday. Captain Dane Tilse faced a fitness test after he was a late withdrawal on Sunday because of hamstring soreness.
Pickers coach Trevor Ott said there would be several changes to the team after Sunday’s disappointing result.
We couldn't hold the ball to save ourselves and we couldn’t defend either. There’s problems on both side of the fence,” he said.
“Our right edge leaked far too many points against Wests, our back three were dominated and at times we lost any form of defence in the middle of the park and that put more pressure on our catchers.” Ott said.
“Physically they outplayed us.
“We need to look at our combinations to see how we can strengthen up that edge up our defence and squeeze more effort out of our middle of the park.
“After a drubbing like that we need to go back to basics.
“We have to get to basics of running hard and tackling hard as a team.”
Robards has not played since round three when several of his teeth were dislodged in a sickening head clash in the game against Central Newcastle.
In his first two games he required stitches to a bad cut above his eye, which was opened up in the Pickers round one win against South Newcastle.
Robards had a strong game in reserve grade on Sunday, returning to action with a specially designed mouth guard to protect his teeth.
The Pickers have been hit hard by injuries and will be without front-rower Rob Mason and centre George O’Brien. Fullback Liam Faughlin is set to fly out to Scotland to trial for a Scottish rugby club.
Knights trial
Maitland Pickers under-19 Elliott Penglaze has been selected to trial with the Newcastle Knights Under-20s after being named best on ground in the Pickers 26-4 win against Wests.
Second-rower Penglaze was among eight under-19s selected in the Newcastle Rugby League’s Futures Rounds initiative in which the best player from each team in rounds eight and 14 is rewarded with a Knights trial.
Kurri Kurri front-rower Reid Alchin won the Bulldogs spot and Cessnock fullback Harry O’Brien was awarded the Goannas place.