Footy is finally here. We might be three weeks away from the real thing, but trials will give fans their first taste of action for the 2022 season, getting underway this weekend.
It all kicks off on Friday night with a pair of games at Leichhardt, and with every game televised live this year (unlike previous years) it’ll be easier than ever for fans to get answers about their stars, and to get a look at the young guns who will be running around.
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In the grand scheme of things, trials mean nothing to the season itself, but that doesn’t mean certain players won’t be treating the next fortnight as possibly the biggest of their lives with many clubs still confirming their list of top 30 contracted players and development lists for the season ahead.
Most teams have named enormous squads for the opening week of trials, which, in some ways, makes it difficult to know which way to look.
And while a majority of the players on display this weekend will be fringe first graders and youngsters who will be stars of the future, there will still be plenty of storylines that will impact first grade this season.
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Here are the storylines which will be worth following this weekend in our first instalment of The Set Restart for 2022.
6. Madden’s chance to shine in Tigers’ critical hit out
It’s not often the word “critical” can be uttered when talking about trials, but that’s the way it feels for one of the wooden spoon favourites in the Wests Tigers.
Coming off a disastrous 2021 campaign that ended with coach Michael Maguire narrowly avoiding the sack, this is a team who need to be ready and at the top of their game the moment the flag drops on the new season, with a clash against the Melbourne Storm to welcome them into their action.
While Jackson Hastings is out with a reported knee injury, they have named a team which features plenty of first 17 players including David Nofoaluma, Luke Brooks, James Tamou, Jacob Liddle, Stefano Utoikamanu, Luciano Leilua, Alex Twal, Thomas Mikaele, Joe Ofahengaue and recruits Tyrone Peachey and Oliver Gildart.
And while plenty of attention will be on the form of Brooks every time he walks onto the field this year given the show of faith from the club after a constant off-season of speculation over his possible departure from Concord, it’s Jock Madden who will want to stand up and steal the spotlight on Friday evening.
Maguire has already publically stated that Jackson Hastings will be the five-eighth in Round 1 alongside Brooks, which will frustrate Madden.
The young gun had limited opportunities in 2021, but impressed and has been touted as a star of the future for the joint venture, who will risk losing him if he isn't afforded first-grade time this year given he is off-contract at the end of 2022.
His performance on Friday evening is imperative.
