A big field session was the order of the day at Salesyards this morning. With numerous members of the referees squad in attendance, including Patton, the scene was set for full contact opposed work. Two referees and sideline officials were…

For NRL players, the pre-season must seem like it goes forever. Whilst I get my footy fix from watching the squad prepare for the season ahead, the players have been counting down the days to get to the real stuff.…

As ridiculous as it seems, the players left behind in Parramatta were probably facing hotter conditions today than those who’ve travelled to Alice Springs. With a 7am start at Saleyards, the worst of the heat was avoided, but there was…

The Auckland Nines takes centre stage this weekend and the Eels have dispatched an almighty squad to defend their title. With this multi-million dollar line up winging its way across the ditch, a group of just over 20 players was…

If Monday was a mongrel of a session to attend, today was its antithesis. Cooler overcast conditions, plenty of sharp ball work and the opportunity to catch up with some players and staff – it all added up to a…

Where to begin? There was almost too much to take in this morning, so much so that I almost considered not writing a report. To be honest, I’m not sure that any write up would do it justice. Action aplenty,…

Toughest pre-season ever? Every league fan is used to that hackneyed phrase. The reality is that every NRL coach would be looking for their season preparations to be a step up on the year before. A more accurate terminology would…

The end of another week of the pre-season is upon us, and the players were probably glad to see the back of this one. No doubt the squad were feeling the strain of the physically demanding conditioning and the relentless…