Wighton, Sezer likely to face Dogs in Bega

Saturday, 16 February 2019:

Raiders coach RICKY STUART looks on before the NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the Canberra Raiders at Cbus Super Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia.
Raiders coach RICKY STUART looks on before the NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the Canberra Raiders at Cbus Super Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia.


He was arguably Canberra's best player in their NRL trial win over Parramatta, but Sam Williams doesn't expect another starting chance to impress Ricky Stuart before round one.

Williams dummied through the defence for a late try and kicked the match-winning goal from the sideline in the Raiders' 22-20 win on Friday night, setting up the victory from 20-0 down late in the first half.

In the first official trial of the NRL season at St Mary's in Sydney's west, Parramatta played close to their NRL team for the first hour while the Raiders used a side of fringe first graders, hopefuls and reserves.

Canberra coach Stuart is expected to give his big names a run next week against Canterbury in Bega, with his top 17 set to get time together in their hit out before the Gold Coast in round one.

Williams shapes as the unlucky man of Jack Wighton's move to the halves, with the 27-year-old a real possibility of losing the starting spot he held for the second half of last year to the traditional fullback.

"I think Aidan (Sezer) and Jack will get first crack next week in the trial. Ricky knows my game pretty well, he knows where I sit with everything," Williams said.

"You obviously want to play first grade whenever you can. I don't know exactly where it's all at at the moment.

"It's just important to come out on a night like this when you've got an opportunity. We came out and won the game and that's all you can control."

Siliva Havili, who finished last year as a bench hooker with Josh Hodgson in the No.9, was also solid in the middle and scored one try.

Meanwhile, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad had his moments on both the wing and at fullback, as he mounts his case to replace Wighton at the back as part of the move

Likely in a battle with Nick Cotric and Brad Abbey, Nicoll-Klokstad wasn't faultless with his hands but still threatened to break through the defence regularly at the back.

If Cotric is the preferred choice for the No.1 jersey, Nicoll-Klokstad would remain a chance of filling the injured Jordan Rapana's wing spot.






AAP






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