The Wait Is Over
After what seemed to be a somewhat long off-season we are finally here for the 2023 season.
With all the talk about how well your team will go and how this player and that player will go we will get to find out. We get to see if all the hard work in the off-season pays off.
Last Weekend Without Footy
The weekend between the trials and the start of the season always seems to go slow. The trials give us all a bit of a taste of what’s to come for that season. It builds us up and gets us excited for round one. It is almost like a bit of a tease.
For me it is the last weekend before I go into full footy mode.
Team List Tuesday
The excitement come 4pm on the Tuesday when all those questions are answered. You know when you hear that first team announced that things are getting real.
We were wondering is Hame Sele was going to be ready or not. Looks like another week for Hame.
There were a few shock selections. Michael Chee Kam getting a bench spot. Both Shaq Mitchell and Davvy Moale winning a bench spot with the injuries we have in the middles. Daniel Siliva-Fifita and Jed Cartwright named on an extended bench.
Jacob Host is a noticeable absentee.
As expected Blake won the utility bench spot. Will be interesting to see how he is used during the game.
The starting 13 was as expected.
The Game
We find ourselves up against the Sharks, a team we beat during the finals last season. Strangely in our first 3 rounds we come up against the 3 teams we faced in last years finals series. (Sharks, Panthers & Roosters).
Although we took care of them that night, playing them at Shark Park makes it that much harder. A venue where over the years we have struggled.
Last time we won there was back in 2014 (18-0). Before that it was in 2010. Strangely the only time the Sharks have beaten us away from Shark Park in the last 15 years was the 2015 semi final at Allianz Stadium.
Seems as though the home field advantage is important to the Sharks.
With Nico Hynes being out it really boosts our chances. He is a massive loss for them. That could just about take away the home field advantage. No doubt it will be a very tough game for us.
A Good Start
Although not the end of the world it is always good to bank early wins. Especially with the tough draw we have over the first 10 weeks. We all know the importance of finishing in the top 4 is.
Last season our slow start ended up costing us a top 4 finish. It potentially cost us the important week off during the finals and a spot in the Grand Final.
A 1-0 start might just put us on track for title number 22.
The Wait Is Over.
By Josh Kemp for Bunnies TV.
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