You can smell it in the air. Sure cricket season is still in full swing but footy is only just over a week away. The trials start on January 28th with the Bunnies welcoming the Warrington Wolves to Redfern. The weekend after is when the action really hots up with quite a few games including the All Stars match. And the following two weekends feature quite a lot of footy. Of course the games are trials and as past seasons show provide no guide to how your side will fare once the real season is underway.
But they are great fun (as long as key players don’t get injured) and I look forward to Bismark and I stretching our friendship as we take on opposite sides at Bluetongue on Feb 11th. Full list over the fold and sourced from League Unlimited.
Saturday 28 January
RETURN TO REDFERN
South Sydney Rabbitohs v Warrington Wolves
Australian Technology Park, Redfern
Friday 3 February
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Toyota Stadium, Woolooware
Ipswich Jets (QRL) v Penrith Panthers
North Ipswich Reserve, QLD
Newcastle Knights v Newcastle RL Rep Squad
Newcastle Venue TBC
Saturday 4 February
ALL STARS MATCH
Indigenous All Stars v NRL All Stars
Skilled Park, Gold Coast
Wests Tigers v Southern Stingrays
Campbelltown Sports Stadium
Brisbane Broncos v North Queensland Cowboys
Dolphin Oval, Redcliffe
Warriors v Gold Coast Titans
North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
Easts Tigers (QRL) v Melbourne Storm
Langlands Park, Coorparoo QLD
MERCURY CHALLENGE
St George Illawarra Dragons v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Saturday 11 February
South Sydney Rabbitohs v Warriors
BCU International Stadium, Coffs Harbour
Parramatta Eels v Wests Tigers
Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium, Gosford
Newcastle Knights v Penrith Panthers
Port Macquarie Regional Stadium
North Queensland Cowboys v St George Illawarra Dragons
NIB Stadium, Perth
Gold Coast Titans v Brisbane Broncos
Pizzey Park, Burleigh
Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm
Lavington Oval, Albury
Sunday 12 February
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Sydney Roosters
Belmore Sports Ground
Saturday 18 February
“HEINZ BIG SOUP” WORLD CLUB CHALLENGE
Leeds Rhinos v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Headingley, UK
Newcastle Knights v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Olympic Park, Muswellbrook
CHARITY SHIELD
South Sydney Rabbitohs v St George Illawarra Dragons
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
BATTLE OF THE WEST CUP
Penrith Panthers v Parramatta Eels
Centrebet Stadium, Penrith
FOUNDATION CUP
Wests Tigers v Sydney Roosters
Leichhardt Oval
Canberra Raiders v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Equex Centre, Wagga Wagga
STOCKLAND TROPHY
North Queensland Cowboys v Gold Coast Titans
Virgin Australia Stadium, Mackay
Warriors v Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles (QRL)
Toll Stadium, Whangarei
Melbourne Storm v Brisbane Broncos
North Hobart Oval, Tasmania
