Group 20 rugby league
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THE Group 20 rugby league season continues to heat up with the Paul Kelly Memorial Shield pre-season knockout to be held in Yenda on Sunday.
Bidgee Hurricanes and Leeton will both have early starts on Sunday, but their respective Kiwi coaches are coming into the knockout with different expectations.
New Leeton coach Willy McDonald will have his first opportunity to see how the vastly changed side is shaping up with new recruits, Andrew Lavaka, Chris Latu, Kolo Lomu and Jason Taylor.
"I'm really looking forward to the weekend, it will be something new for me, and with the new-look team this year, it will be good to get out there and see how we will go this year,'' McDonald said
"We are going in with a fairly basic game plan, hopefully do the basics well and go from there."
The Greens will be missing a raft of experienced first graders, including Sam Eisenhut, Ben Fisher, Adam Frazer, Dean Pauling and the returning Jeremy Panuccio, who are all unavailable.
Leeton was to face two-time defending premier West Wyalong and Waratah Tigers, but after the Griffith team withdrew from the knockout on Wednesday night, the Greens will now face Yenda and Tullibigeal-Lakes United.
The knockout is also an opportunity for McDonaldto see how the competition is shaping early in the season.
"It's hard to judge because it's a knockout, so you don't know what teams are going to be at full strength or what players are missing, you can judge a little bit but you can't take too much out of it," he said.
"We've got a few players that won't be playing, so I'm sure there will be a few clubs in the same boat as us."
While Leeton is slowly building into the season Hurricanes coach Chris Bamford is confidently approaching this weekend's games against Darlington Point-Coleambally and Griffith Black and Whites.
Bamford, who was recently announced as the Group
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20 representative coach, is expecting a forward showing from his side after being beaten by eventual West Wyalong Knockout winners Southcity in the semi-finals.
"We have got a good draw, but we don't take any side for granted and will be rocking up with a good attitude, trying to put some points on the board and won't be underestimtaing our opponents,'' Bamford said.
"We are definitely going into it to win and there is a good feeling within the camp."
Bamford, in his second year as the Hurricanes coach, has had the luxury of having a full pre season to prepare his side following last year's lost to the Greens in the semi-final.
"It's good to have pretty much the same boys involved, we have a couple of new faces but not too many, so they know what to expect from me in the pre season,'' he said.
"I've been pretty lenient on the boys so far this pre season, I don't really knuckle down on them too much, but heading into the competition we will really put our heads down at training."
The Hurricanes have been forced to make one change with former Leeton halfback Kye Longford unavailable, but Bamford said the "old faithful" Gary Ingram would slot in to combine with new five-eighth Sean Scott.
Bidgee Hurricanes and Leeton under 16s and under 18s teams will also be in action on Sunday.
Draw
Paul Kelly Memorial Shield
Sunday March 10
Wade Park, Yenda
First Grade
Pool 1: Leeton, Yenda, Tullibigeal Lakes United, Hay
Pool 2: West Wyalong, Bidgee Hurricanes, Griffith Black and Whites, Darlington Point Coleambally
9.30am: Leeton v Yenda
10.20am: Bidgee Hurricanes v Darlington Point Coleambally
11.15am: West Wyalong v Black and Whites
12.10pm: Yenda v Hay
1pm: Leeton v Tullibigeal Lakes United
1.50pm: Bidgee Hurricanes v Black and Whites
2.40pm: West Wyalong v Darlington Point Coleambally
3.30pm: Tullibigeal Lakes United v Hay
First and second placed teams in each pool will progress to the semi finals at EW Moore Oval, Griffith on March 16.
****
Under 18s
Pool 1: Leeton, Yenda, Tullibigeal Lakes United, Waratah Tigers
Pool 2: West Wyalong, Bidgee Hurricanes, Griffith Black and Whites, Darlington Point Coleambally
9.30am: Bidgee Hurricanes v Darlington Point Coleambally
10.20am: Waratah Tigers v Leeton
11.15am: Black and Whites v West Wyalong
12.10pm: Yenda v Tullibigeal Lakes United
1pm: Darlington Point Coleambally v West Wyalong
1.50pm: Bidgee Hurricanes v Black and Whites
2.40pm: Tullibigeal Lakes United v Waratah Tigers
3.30pm: Leeton v Yenda
First and second placed teams in each pool will progress to the semi finals at EW Moore Oval, Griffith on March 16.
****
Under 16s
9.30am: Bidgee Hurricanes v Yenda
10.20am: Leeton v West Wyalong
11.15am: Waratah Tigers v Darlington Point Coleambally
12.10pm: Hay v Tullibigeal Lake Cargelligo
1pm: Waratah Tigers v Yenda
1.50pm: Bidgee Hurricanes v Darlington Point Coleambally
2.40pm: Leeton v Tullibigeal Lake Cargelligo
3.30pm Hay v West Wyalong
Semi-finals of the under 16s will be held after the final game at 4.20pm.
The top four sides will contest the semi-finals - 1 v 3, 2 v 4.