Manly v Illawarra: HEATH NO L’ESTRANGER TO WILLIAMSON
HE’S a friend but Manly VB NSW Cup coach Luke Williamson will be hoping his old Sea Eagles team-mate Heath L’Estrange gets a late call-up to the make his debut for the Dragons in round two.
If not L’Estrange will be calling the shots and controlling the ruck for the Illawarra Cutters when they take on Williamson’s side at Brookvale Oval on Saturday.
Both clubs copped first-round losses with Manly beaten 34-8 by Wyong Roos and the Cutters downed 22-20 in their clash against Mounties.
“We’re waiting to see if Heath L’Estrange plays,” said Williamson after Dragons coach Paul McGregor added L’Estrange and Jake Marketo as extra cover to an extended first grade bench.
“He was quite dominant against Mounties. I’ve watched some of that and both teams were quite evenly matched, being big teams and powerful in the middle.”
Williamson, who is now 36, and 29-year-old L’Estrange played together at Manly in 2008 before both enjoyed stints in Super League.
L’Estrange returned from Bradford Bulls last year to play five NRL games for the Roosters and, while he and former Bulldogs’ five-eighth Kris Keating bring plenty of experience to the Cutters, Williamson has quite a young side and that inexperience showed in the loss to the Roos.
“We didn’t start well and we sorta got ambushed even though we expected it a bit,” said Williamson.
“The game got away from us a bit but some of these guys have only just started training with one another. There’s a lot of room for improvement in our squad but we need it to happen now. We can’t get to round seven and say we’re working our way into it.
“There’s plenty of potential there and we need to get it right so these players start putting pressure for places on our first grade squad.”
Unfortunately the Sea Eagles are expected to be without five-eighth Manaia Rudolph (ankle) and experienced forward Justin Horo (concussion) for the clash with the Cutters.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles v Illawarra Cutters, Brookvale Oval, Saturday March 14. Kick-off: 2.30pm. Referee: Drew Oultram
SEA EAGLES: 1. DAVID WILLIAMS (C) 2. BEN FRITZ 3. BRAYDEN WILIAME 4. TONY SATINI 5 DOM REARDON 6. KURT ALDRIDGE 7. MANAIA RUDOLPH 8. SIOSAIA VAVE 9. JAYDEN HODGES 10. JAKE TRBOJEVIC 11. JORDAN LATHAM 12. DYLAN KELLY 13. MICHAEL CHEE KAM 14. TYSON ANDREWS 15. TODD WILSON 16. UITI BAKER 17. VINNI NGARO
CUTTERS: 1. TYRON CRANSTON 2. CHARLY RUNCIMAN 3. EUAN AITKEN 4. PETER MATA’UTIA 5. KITI GLYMIN 6. KRIS KEATING 7. DREW HUTCHISON 8. JOKATAMA DOKONIVALU 9. CRAIG GARVEY 10. RULIN NUTIRA 11. NATHAN GREEN 12. ADAM TUIMAVAVA-GERRARD 13. SHANNON WAKEMAN 14. ANDREW MCCARTHY 15. JACOB HIND 16. TEKINA VAILEA 20. SAM COSTER
HE’S a friend but Manly VB NSW Cup coach Luke Williamson will be hoping his old Sea Eagles team-mate Heath L’Estrange gets a late call-up to the make his debut for the Dragons in round two.
If not L’Estrange will be calling the shots and controlling the ruck for the Illawarra Cutters when they take on Williamson’s side at Brookvale Oval on Saturday.
Both clubs copped first-round losses with Manly beaten 34-8 by Wyong Roos and the Cutters downed 22-20 in their clash against Mounties.
“We’re waiting to see if Heath L’Estrange plays,” said Williamson after Dragons coach Paul McGregor added L’Estrange and Jake Marketo as extra cover to an extended first grade bench.
“He was quite dominant against Mounties. I’ve watched some of that and both teams were quite evenly matched, being big teams and powerful in the middle.”
Williamson, who is now 36, and 29-year-old L’Estrange played together at Manly in 2008 before both enjoyed stints in Super League.
L’Estrange returned from Bradford Bulls last year to play five NRL games for the Roosters and, while he and former Bulldogs’ five-eighth Kris Keating bring plenty of experience to the Cutters, Williamson has quite a young side and that inexperience showed in the loss to the Roos.
“We didn’t start well and we sorta got ambushed even though we expected it a bit,” said Williamson.
“The game got away from us a bit but some of these guys have only just started training with one another. There’s a lot of room for improvement in our squad but we need it to happen now. We can’t get to round seven and say we’re working our way into it.
“There’s plenty of potential there and we need to get it right so these players start putting pressure for places on our first grade squad.”
Unfortunately the Sea Eagles are expected to be without five-eighth Manaia Rudolph (ankle) and experienced forward Justin Horo (concussion) for the clash with the Cutters.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles v Illawarra Cutters, Brookvale Oval, Saturday March 14. Kick-off: 2.30pm. Referee: Drew Oultram
SEA EAGLES: 1. DAVID WILLIAMS (C) 2. BEN FRITZ 3. BRAYDEN WILIAME 4. TONY SATINI 5 DOM REARDON 6. KURT ALDRIDGE 7. MANAIA RUDOLPH 8. SIOSAIA VAVE 9. JAYDEN HODGES 10. JAKE TRBOJEVIC 11. JORDAN LATHAM 12. DYLAN KELLY 13. MICHAEL CHEE KAM 14. TYSON ANDREWS 15. TODD WILSON 16. UITI BAKER 17. VINNI NGARO
CUTTERS: 1. TYRON CRANSTON 2. CHARLY RUNCIMAN 3. EUAN AITKEN 4. PETER MATA’UTIA 5. KITI GLYMIN 6. KRIS KEATING 7. DREW HUTCHISON 8. JOKATAMA DOKONIVALU 9. CRAIG GARVEY 10. RULIN NUTIRA 11. NATHAN GREEN 12. ADAM TUIMAVAVA-GERRARD 13. SHANNON WAKEMAN 14. ANDREW MCCARTHY 15. JACOB HIND 16. TEKINA VAILEA 20. SAM COSTER