Northern Pride at best for Cutters trial

NORTHERN Pride coach David Maiden will unleash a full-strength side for the club’s final trial against the Mackay Cutters at Moranbah on Saturday.

The Pride scored their second win of the preseason at the weekend when they romped to a 94-0 victory over the FNQ Indigenous All Stars at Barlow Park.

With the exception of centre Brett Anderson and forwards Alex Starmer and Mark Dalle Cort, the Pride line-up was filled with fringe players and triallists for the All Stars clash.

But Maiden won’t hold back against the Cutters, and faces the unenviable task of squeezing out local players to cater for the returning Cowboys contingent.

“Our last trial is always as close to our first-round team as possible, so I expect all the Cowboys players we have to come back,” Maiden said. “It’s a tough ask next week. There are going to be some (local) players who aren’t playing who should be playing.

“It’s the nature of our beast. By about round five or six it settles down and we’re sort of into a rhythm by then. But the first few rounds are tough on the local guys who have been training since November.”

Most of those players performed the roles Maiden hoped they would in the Pride’s demolition of the All Stars. Anderson bagged a hat-trick of tries before halftime and No. 7 Shaun Nona slotted 15 from 16 conversions as a ruthless Pride showed no mercy towards their gallant, but ultimately outclassed, opponents.

The All Stars couldn’t combat the 2010 Queensland Cup premiers’ structure and discipline as the scoreboard ticked over faster than the match clock.

But while happy with how his team attacked, Maiden was more pleased to keep the All Stars pointless.

Pride tries: Anderson (3), Kerwick (3), Mosby (2), B. Oosen, Fitzpatrick, Nawia, M. Oosen, Castellaro, Binawel, Smith and Schultz. Conversions: Nona 15