Hasler on nrl.com

Matabele

Journey Man
3 March 2005


Q: Have you been happy with the team's pre-season training and trial performances?
A: It's been good. The acquisition of the academy at Narrabeen has been great. The facilities have been first class and being in the one location for the off-season has been good.

Q: Who have been the standout players?
A: I was very impressed with Glenn Stewart against the Tigers, I thought he played very well. All our new recruits have performed well - Mathew Ballin and Carl Johnson.

Q: How are your key recruits Ben Kennedy, Terry Hill and Brent Kite gelling with the team?
A: They've had a very good off-season and they're fitting in well. Their experience and their presence and their playing ability will have a huge impact on the side.

Q: How are your new combinations coming together?
A: They're looking pretty good. Michael Witt and Travis Burns worked well together on debut.

Q: What areas have you been working on?
A: Our defence and playing for the full 80 minutes. I think recognising those things and also we want to continue the platform that we built in six of the last eight games last year. We built a platform there and we want to continue that.

Q: Are you feeling confident about your first round clash with the Warriors?
A: It will be a tough game, particularly over there. They've recruited pretty strongly, they've got about 11 internationals in that side. They've changed their training quite a bit and they've trained very hard and done a lot of running during the off-season so I think they'll be a lot fitter and lot leaner this year.

Q: Some say you're set for big things this season. Do you agree?
A: You could probably say that about Parramatta, you could probably say that about half a dozen sides but we're just quite pleased about where we're at and when it comes down to it we want to get results and that's what we're after this year.
 
Not bad at all. Not overly confident.....looks like they've been listening to the pessimists on AE. It'll be interesting what spiel we get at the season launch tonight.
 
No - Des is one of those guys who is quiet and modest - was like that in his early career too. He recognises that it may be better to be understated and shock a few people and catch a couple of them by surprise rather than talk us up, telling the world we are dead certs and then disappointing.

Both the Cowboys last year and the Raiders the year before caught a lot of people by surprise, and ambushed many a team (and tipster) who expected their bubble to burst and it didn't.

Early success and some confidence could do anything for our mob - but keep it our secret and let the pundits write us off! 😛
 

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