The Steelers SG Ball and Tarsha Gale Cup sides travel to the ACT this week for their Round Two clash with the Canberra Raiders at Belconnen, with both sides looking to continue their winning ways after first round victories.
Shaun Timmins’ men recorded a 26-12 victory over the South Sydney Rabbitohs, while the Raiders suffered a heavy loss to the Newcastle Knights 56-10 at home.
“Obviously, it’s a short comp, only nine games, so it’s really important to get off to a good start and a winning start, so it’s a good feeling,” SG Ball halfback Kade Reed said on collecting the two competition points.
“Our start needs to be better. Our first half last week wasn’t good enough. We were going alright once we clicked into gear, but our first half needs to be better.”
Reed spent the off-season training with the St George Illawarra Dragons top squad which he says has him primed and ready for a big season in SG Ball.
“It was awesome, to be honest,” Reed said of his time at the Dragons.
“I had 12 weeks with them. It was tough, but I learned a lot, and training with the big boys obviously got me ready.”
The Wests Devils junior is quitely confident his side can get the job done against the Raiders after a solid performance against them in a pre-season trial.
“We played them in a trial a few weeks ago with a few of us out and a few of their boys out, but we expect them to come out hard and give us a tough one.
“We’ve got to go in there with the same mentality again this week and we will come away with a win.”
Timmins has made one change to last week’s winning line-up, with Tyrone Amone moving to the interchange bench and Ramses Munro starting in the front row.
We can be better | McGrath
After her team’s impressive 30-12 win over the Rabbitohs last week, Steelers Tarsha Gale Cup five-eighth Evie McGrath is looking for improvement when they line up against the Raiders, who lost 16-10 to the Knights first-up, in the nations capital.
“It was a pretty good start. We came out with the win we wanted, but we all walked away thinking we could do better,” McGrath said.
“We came to training on Monday wanting to be better as a team, and that’s what we’re hopefully going to do this weekend against the Raiders.”
The Shellharbour Stingrays junior posted a four-pointer in the six-tries-to-three victory over the Bunnies and, while pleased with her own form, felt there are still areas in her game she needs to improve upon.
“I felt fit from our crazy pre-season, but there are things I could do better. Overall, it was a pretty good performance.”
The classy pivot has built a strong relationship with captain and scrum base partner Kasey Reh, knowing they can rely on each other when the going gets tough.
“She has been my halves partner for my whole football career. This is our fifth year playing together, so I know what she is going to do, and she knows what I’m going to do.”
In team changes, Australian Schoolgirls representative Indie Bostock returns from injury in the centres, pushing Brielle Luccitti to the interchange bench. Ella Koster moves up front to partner Hope Millard in the front row with Teagan Smede the new lock.
Bridget Shearer, replacing Tori Shipton in the No. 9 jersey, is the only inclusion in the Lisa Fiaola Cup starting side for their away clash with the Central Coast Roosters, who defeated Newcastle Knights 12-6 at home last week.
Round Two Fixtures | Saturday, 10 February
Raiders Belconnen, ACT
- 12.00pm – Tarsha Gale Cup (U19 Girls) | Steelers v South Sydney Rabbitohs
- 1.30pm – SG Ball Cup (U19 Boys) | Steelers v Canberra Raiders
Morrie Breen Oval, Wyong
- 1.00pm – Lisa Fiaola Cup (U17 Girls) | Steelers v Central Coast Roosters
