It's not often you come away from a six tries to two loss confident of a big season ahead.
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However, Maitland Blacks fans had plenty to smile about on Saturday at Maitland Sportsground with 2017 Anderson Medal-winning inside centre Carl Manu making his debut in a Blacks’ white strip against Merewether-Carlton.
Manu and giant prop Willy Soe have joined the Blacks after their old club The Waratahs were unable to field a side..
Manu’s class showed immediately and Soe will be a welcome addition to the front-row.
Blacks co-coach Mick Hickling said the scrum was one area that needed strengthening and having Soe and one of last year’s prized recruits James Robinson partnering in the front-row gave it more potency.
Hickling said the Blacks’ last trial before the season kicks off on April 7 was very much about getting game time into players and giving new combinations a work out.
A host of star players including Travis Brooke and Max Stafford did not play.
