The Canberra Raiders were forced to act on the run during their opening NRL trial against the Sydney Roosters, losing two players to COVID and more to head knocks and injury as the game progressed.
It wasn't until just hours before the match when the Raiders learned that neither Matt Frawley or Sam Williams would be available to play, with Williams failing a rapid antigen test.
Frawley, as his roommate on the Raiders' trip to Sydney, was then ruled out of the game as a result.
It meant Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was forced to line up in the halves, while young hooker Andrew Trevilyan was handed the starting hooker role.
While he took his chance to impress with both hands, a head knock would rule him out of the second half, with Trey Mooney also rubbed out of the game in the same way.
Peter Hola was also a casualty for the Raiders, with the recruit from North Queensland going off with a knee injury and failing to return. It has since been reported that it could be an MCL injury which would see him miss the opening weeks of the season.
The Raiders might have won the contest against a team dubbed the "baby Roosters," but Ricky Stuart said this season was going to be all about flexibility in his post-game press conference, while also imploring the NRL to use common sense during the season when it comes to COVID replacements.
“We got a very quick lesson in [what it is like] to have a positive COVID test pre-game,” Stuart told the media.
“We also had a number of head injuries during the game, which is not what you need.
“You just have to be flexible and get past the disruptions. The positive tonight for both teams was there was a huge amount of youth, and they will all be called upon this year.
“Jarrod Croker played centre and then some five-eighth, Charnze (Nicoll-Klokstad) played some time at No. 9, Adam (Elliott) played time at No. 9, wingers and fullbacks swapped around - it’s really important. It’s where COVID has taken the game.”
The Raiders were pleased with their first hit out, a convincing win over the Raiders, although will likely run into a stronger and closer to full strength Manly Sea Eagles next week, while they themselves are likely to hand game time to the likes of Jack Wighton, Josh Papalii, Josh Hodgson, Tom Starling and others who missed last night's encounter.