GREATER Northern Academy Cubs have a testing time in Kurri Kurri this weekend.

The younger squad of the GNA's two has plenty of work to do, according to its coach Peter Stevens.

They completed their final hit-out at Jack Woolaston Oval last Saturday before Saturday's trial against the Newcastle Knights.

"It's going to be very interesting," a guarded Stevens said of his Cubs side.

"We are a little bit behind where we were last year."

His side hasn't come together as well as he'd hoped.

Saturday's final session was to try to pull it all together to give them their best chance of excelling in Kurri Kurri, he said.

"We've got some very good backrowers and the front row is solid too," he said.

"Our spine is a problem. We need the halves, hooker and fullback to gel and concentrate on their roles. It's going to be intesresting see how we go because it also looks like we're only taking 16 down."

GNA manager Scott Bone said the Cubs would play the Chargers, the Newcastle Knights Under 15 squad from 2pm Saturday at Kurri Kurri Sportsground.

"The Tigers play the Knights' Under 17 development squad at 4pm," he said.

"They're two tough games for our sides.

"The boys trained well on Saturday and we'll see how it all transpires Saturday."

While the Knights' games are a highlight, the GNA squads will be back on the training paddock at Jack Woolaston Oval on Sunday, February 21 before they head to their final event of the program.

They will match up against 12 teams from the other Academies across the State in the Academy Challenge at Narrabeen on February 27/28.

"The games are all shortened, 14-minute halves, so that we can fit as much football in for everyone as we can," Bones said.

2015-16 GREATER NORTHERN ACADEMY SQUAD: Jordan Allan (Werris Creek), Max Altus (Coonamble), Morgan Amidy (Singleton), Fletcher Baker (Muswellbrook), Tom Baker (Narrabri), James Bradley (Reedy Creek), Zac Butler (Dalwood), Cody Byrne (Tamworth), Jack Cameron (Loomberah), Ian Carter (Woolooma), Lachlan Chard (Emmaville), Alec Cocking (Tamworth), Ethan Connors (Tingha), Bailey Cosgrove (Tingha), KC Edmonds (Inverell), Jed Englert (Duri), Alexander Fisher (Glen Innes), Lachlan Fry (Singleton), Max Greacen (Sandy Hollow), Alek Hall (Quirindi), James Hargrave (Uralla), Jacob Haynes (Wee Waa), Luke Howes (Gunnedah), Ryan Ingram (Tamworth), Bailey Lennox (Gunnedah), Brock Matthews (Muswellbrook), Will McAuliffe (Inverell), Steven McGrady (Inverell), Matthew Morgan (McCullys Gap), Zac Parker (Warialda), Jack Patterson (Tamworth), Thomas Pickersgill (Denman), Dylan Porter (Tamworth), Elijah Rasiga (Armidale), Koen Reiri (Tamworth), Jake Saunders (Tamworth), Emmanuel Sithole (Muswellbrook), Jayden Slater (Werris Creek), Jacob Smith (Armidale), Bailey Taylor (Muswellbrook), Caleb Taylor (Scone).