Maitland will have a strong contingent of former and current players in action when the NRL and second-tier national and state competitions kick off this weekend.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The most enticing contest will be East meets West when former East Maitland junior Robbie Rochow faces West Maitland's Greg Bird in the Newcastle Knights season opener against the Gold Coast Titans at Cbus Stadium on Sunday.
The brothers-in-law will be in rival camps with Rochow playing in the second row for the Knights and Bird at lock for the Titans.
Former Kurri Kurri Bulldogs fullback Nathan Ross has been named on an extended bench for the Knights.
Kurri Kurri junior and former Australian under-20 Michael Steele has been named on extended bench by Knights NSW Cup coach and former Maitland Pickers player Matt Lantry.
Three Pickers youngsters Matt Soper-Lawler, Joe Morris and Jayden Butterfield named in the Knights NYC Cup team starting 13.
Soper-Lawler, the Pickers senior fullback, has been named on the wing, with Morris at hooker and Butterfield in the second row.
Aussie schoolboys halfback Brock Lamb, who made his debut with the Knights NRL side at the Auckland Nines and in a trial game, is injured and has not been named in either the NSW Cup or NYC squads.
Meanwhile, former West Maitland junior Sam Anderson has been named captain of the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Queensland Cup.
Dolphins coach Adam Mogg said he was confident Anderson was the right man for the job.
Anderson, a three-time New South Wales Residents front-rower, has previous experience in the role having captained Penrith in New South Wales Cup competition.
Anderson, who joined the Dolphins this season after three seasons with the Penrith Panthers NSW Cup side, will join a prestigious group of front-rowers to captain the Dolphins.
That list includes club legends Arthur Beetson and Petero Civoniceva.
Anderson told the Dolphins website that as far he was concerned playing the same position was where the comparisons with Beetson and Civoniceva end.
"Just to be mentioned near blokes that, I don't rate myself anywhere near those two blokes but I just want to try and a job like they did when they were at the club," he said.
Anderson said his captaincy style was to lead from the front by example.
"My style is probably more give me the ball and follow me, I do like to talk to my other forwards and organise our plays in the middle of the field," he said.