GREATER Northern Tigers under-18’s might have to make two major changes for their second round Laurie Daley Cup Country Championship clash with the Newcastle Knights Development Squad in Scone on Saturday.
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Tiger coach, Peter Stevens, said fullback Trent Taylor is battling a knee injury he picked up in the first quarter of last Saturday’s opening round loss to Central Coast Roosters.
Dungowan centre Jhett Butler also has a week suspension after he shoulder charged a Rooster rival.
“Trent is unlikely but could be only out two weeks if he can’t play,” Stevens said.
“I don’t expect him to be right. Jhett was unlucky too. We have two good replacements though in Blair Moloney (Tamworth) and Bailey Miller (Aberdeen).”
Stevens is still disappointed with the 34-26 loss, a game his side fumbled away.
“We gave away four play the ball penalties and three spilled passes on the first tackle,” he said.
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“All of them were at key times. We could have scored just before halftime, lost the ball and could have gone in to the break 12-10 but instead they win the scrum in their quarter and score at the other end to make it 18-4.”
The Tigers did fight back well in the second half and could have drawn level a couple of times but for some unforced errors.
“We just made too many errors as well as a couple of defensive misreads which could have saved two tries as well,” he said.
“The Roosters were also a lot bigger side than us and the boys did well. We can improve.”
GREATER NORTHERN TIGER 16’s: 1 Latrell Newman (Moree), 2 Blake Johnston (Scone), 3 Campbell Watchirs (Inverell), 4 Daltyn McCartney (Singleton), 5 Brayden Talbott-Hatch (Gunnedah), 6 Ethan Antzakles (Farrer), 7 Pichai Dixon (Aberdeen), 8 Mark Simon (Farrer), 9 Sam Fechner (Scone), 10 Jeffrey Harvey (Narrabri), 11 Hayden Bull (Scone), 12 Luke Smith (Scone), 13 Jock Brazel (Moree), 14 Clint Aitken (Dungowan), 15 Lachlan Smith (Farrer), 17 Ryan Kelly-Payne (Gunnedah), 18 Nicholas Laurie (Scone), 20 Jordan Leota (Dungowan). Coach Steve Haylen (Muswellbrook), Manager – Mick Schmiedel (Tamworth), Trainers – (yellow) Tom Learoyd-Lahrs (Tamworth), (blue) Anthony Cubillo, (orange) Daniel Swan.
GREATER NORTHERN TIGER UNDER 18’S: 1 Trent Taylor (Dungowan)-Blair Moloney (Tamworth), 2 Mackenzie Shepherdson (Denman), 3 Kyle Johnson (Dungowan), 4 Bailey Miller (Aberdeen), 5 Harrison Freeman (Dungowan), 6 Brayden Reid (North Tamworth), 7 Steven Dengate (Muswellbrook), 8 Kalab McMillan- Bassett (Narrabri), 9 Clay Frendin (Dungowan), 10 Jackson Shade (Singleton), 11 Cooper Harris (Dungowan), 12 Sam Wentworth (Dungowan) CAPT, 13 Blake Trees (Singleton), 14 Kobe Bone (North Tamworth), 15 Daniel Kelly (North Tamworth), 16 Hugh Collins (Aberdeen), 17 Jalen Darcy (Scone), 18 Zak Turnbull (Gunnedah). Coach – Peter Stevens, Manager – Brad McManus, Trainers (yellow Richard Ingram, (blue) Chris Bryant, (orange) Daniel Swan.