2 weeks exactly til we get some rugby league back in our lives always look forward to the boxing day game it's become a real tradition of my festive season personally.

From our squad that's reported back in pre season and players who are available I think we might see a squad something like this

1. A.Handley
2. L.Tindall
3. M.Simpson
4. D.Olpherts
5. A.Edgell
6. B.Austin
7. A. Sezer
8. J.Sangare
9. K.Leeming
10. S.Walters
11. M.Gannon
12. J.Mcdonnell
13. J.O'Connor

Subs
T.Holroyd, J.Donaldson, C.Johnson, T.Warren, J.Sinfield, L.Edwards, L.Ruan, O.Field.


I believe Oledzki, Martin, Tetevano & Macdonald haven't started pre season yet due to there involvement in the World Cup.

Fusitu'a & Lisone aren't back either I believe Fusitu'a flew back into the country today no idea when Lisone us due too arrive.

I believe L.Hooley & L.Roberts both have picked up injuries in pre season Hooley's seems quite a serious one. I can't see us risking Myler if Hooley is out.

Can`t see too much variation to that team/squad mate.
Do we know when Newman is likely to be back?

Yeah enjoy getting out to the game on boxing day to mate, nice to blow the cobwebs off. Think you could be right with the squad, won't be far off. I wouldn't risk Newman even if he was fit at this time of year, didn't he do his hammy at the boxing day game last year IIRC ? I wouldn't risk Myler either.

Really enjoy the Boxing Day game! Just hope it warms up a bit!

Hope we see some of the new signings

Think it's looking like low single figs from looking at forecast but a bit off yet. Wonder if Lisone will be here...

Here but not ready to play according to RS.
A few likely to debut, including Olpherts, Sangare, McDonnell and Ruan

Myler, Handley, Olpherts, Simpson, Tindall, Austin, Sezer, Sangare, Leeming, Holroyd, Gannon, McDonnell, Donaldson.

OConnor, Ruan, Field, Warren, Sinfield, Edwards, Edgell, Walters, Lumb, Smith, Gibbons, Johnson

Fusitua, Newman, Macdonald, Oledzki, Tetevano, Bentley, Martin, Smith, Lisone, Hooley, Roberts missing.

Very 'interesting' team strange no sezer or Austin

Very young squad named, I get the feeling that Smith doesn’t place too much relevance to these friendlies as some past coaches and sees them as an opportunity to give the younger players a go, im fine with that, last thing we need is first choice players picking up knocks.

Im sure ive read/seen Smith saying he doesn’t think that flogging players in pre season is necessary or helpful in the long run

Will be interesting to see how they go

Also he wasn’t joking about Gannon at stand off!

Amen to that. I'd like to see us get to the start of the season with the minimum amount of players injured/suspended. Obviously there is a balance to be struck in terms of match practice and combinations, but the spine of the team is unchanged, so we can afford to be risk averse.

Looks a pretty poor side with some experimenting going on. I'm still going though, be nice to see one or two of the young lads.

Agree. Not as if Rohan struggled to get the combinations working well last year, I'm happy for him to run things as he sees fit

Jeez how quickly I'd forgotten about the pre-game press conference.

The state of the questions lobbed at Smith from the RL press was possibly even worse than before. Smith must find it hard not to just laugh at some of the things they come out with.

Is Jack Sinfield injured?
Thought he would have been in that squad or does Smith not rate him?

You have to wonder at the journalists. One asked about how many games Sinfield may play in 2023 but did not ask why he was not involved on Boxing Day. Also where is Corey Johnson?

Not just what they ask but how some of them appear slumped over their laptop 'aright rowan, yeah cant complain really'. They're embarrassing.

Enjoyable game that we held our own for 70minutes with a mish mash of a team with no halfbacks, some of the young kids looked really good. Experience told in the final 10 minutes.

Hope leeming is ok

You’d have to assume that both not rated by the coach. We can’t argue really…….

More likely both will feature in the many friendlies to come.

Too much size and power in that wakey team today. Told in the end. Antoni looks a big unit for Wakey!!!

Groin injury and illness was the reason Sinfield wasn't selected.Smith said he wasn't prepared to throw him into a game like that having missed 10 days of training.

Me personally really enjoyed that game thinks it's first time I've walked away from a game we've lost and been smiling. It's a friendly that's all it is for both us and wakey and good to give both set's of players game time. I was impressed with how well our players attacked with so many not in their favorable positions as well. Ruan & Sangare we're very impressive out of our new boys who were on show. Leeming looked lively out of dummy half and Gannon put in a great shift in. Tindall finished his try brilliantly. Our young boys look very handy as well. Rohan is building a great team I'm very optimistic what our team can do with him in charge.

How did Holroyd,Edwards and Walters play?

Holroyd looked rusty as most of players did but he will especially since he's played like 4 games in the past 12 months. Walters was steady didn't really stand out imo though. Edwards had some ok touches.