A busy weekend of sport kicks off early with the Maitland Magpies playing Edgeworth at Speers Point on Thursday in their final trial game.
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The game starts at 8pm and is the last chance for the Magpies to fine tune their preparations for the Northern NSW Premier League which starts on Sunday, April 10, with a home game against Hamilton Olympic.
The Weston Bears will hold an intra-club practice game on Friday, after Olympic had to pull out of their planned trial because of a FFA Cup fixture.
The Thornton Redbacks play their first Northern NSW Division 1 fixture at home to West Wallsend on Sunday.
The Redbacks Women’s Premier League team are away to Adamstown Rosebud on Sunday.
The Coalfields Clash between the Pickers and Goannas headlines a big weekend of sport in Maitland.
Maitland and Cessnock will both take near full-strength teams into the encounter at Maitland Sportsground, with the Newcastle Rugby League season scheduled to start on April 19.
It will be the final trial fixture for the Pickers who are expected to include Steve Waetford and Geordie Connelly into their starting 13.
Action on the day kicks off with the under 19s at noon, open grade 1.15pm, reserves 2.30pm and first grade at 4pm.
The Kurri Bulldogs host South Newcastle Knights on a big day for the club.
The main game starts at 4pm, with the club’s season launch and Kurri Kurri Old Boys Sportsman’s Dinner to follow from 7pm at the Kurri Kurri Bowling Club.
Balmain greats Steve Roach and Paul Sironen are special guests at the evening to be hosted by Allan Robinson.
Basketball fans can cheer on the Maitland Mustangs as they chase their first Waratah Basketball Champions League victory of the season.
The Mustangs host Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Spiders at the Federation Centre. Tip off is at 7pm.
The Mustangs division 1 women’s team and division 1 men’s youth team are both in action at the Federation Centre on Sunday.
The women host the Inner West Bulls from 1pm and the youth team takes on the Bulls from 11am after an away trip on Saturday against the Blacktown Storm.
While the Newcastle Hunter Rugby Union senior competition starts on April 9, the junior Blacks will be in action at Marcellin Park on Saturday with under 8s starting from 9.40am.
