The long, hard pre-season slog is behind them and Maitland Pickers coach Matt Lantry could feel the intensity had gone up a notch at training this week.
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Summer is over and the Pickers are primed for their Newcastle Rugby League opening round clash against Central Newcastle at St John's Oval on Sunday.
"We're all looking forward to the start of the season and I thought our session on Tuesday night reflected that. We'll be, touch wood, pretty much at full strength," Lantry said this week.
The only player out of contention for selection is Lincoln Smith who is still another week away from playing in his recovery from a hamstring injury.
Lantry has decided to stick with dynamic forward Faitotoa Faitotoa in the back row and has to trim his bench down to four from five before Sunday.
"It worked for us last year and we know he can get the job done," he said. "He is a powerful runner of the ball. I've got some flexibility on the bench as well where if we want to put Toa in the middle there would be an opportunity to do that."
Harrison Spruce, Ethan Edwards, Ben Ireland, Peter Wilson and Reid Alchin have been named on the extended bench.
"It's a hard decision leaving one of them out, but we don't want to have easy decisions we want to ensure we've got hard decision to make and pressure on positions" Lantry said.
The starting 13 is largely unchanged from last season.
"It's a settled team now, it's been together for going into our third year together and I think that's certainly an advantage," Lantry said. "We've been able to try to evolve combinations further.
"But the first month of the competition will be about ensuring we get our attitude to defence right, complete well with the ball and back our fitness.
"I believe that we are the fittest team in the competition and that if we can complete high, be disciplined and defend well, we'll win games on that alone."
Maitland: 1. Dan Langbride, 2. Perry Le Broque, 3. Matt Soper-Lawler, 4. Gary Anderson, 5. James Bradley, 6. Chad O'Donnell, 7. Brock Lamb, 8. Jayden Butterfield, 9. Alex Langbridge, 10. James Taylor, 11. Faitotoa Faitotoa, 12. Pat Matautia, 13. Sam Anderson. Interchange: 14. Harrison Spruce, 15. Pete Wilson, 16. Ethan Edwards, 17. Ben Ireland, 18. Reid Alchin.
