Toyota Cup and Mounties Trial InformationThe Canberra Raiders Toyota Cup side is shaping up for another exciting season in 2012.
The next batch of talented Raiders juniors have endured an arduous pre-season and recently just had their first official trial for 2012 against the Penrith Panthers at Goulburn Workers Arena last Saturday.
The game was split into quarters and scores were not recorded as the Panthers came down with what was close to two whole teams. Coach Andrew Dunemann was more than impressed with the players display.
With last year’s coach David Hamilton being given a new role as the Head of Recruitment and High Performance Manager as part of the club’s High Performance Review, Dunemann has been appointed as the new National Youth Competition Coach for the next two seasons.
He has previously spent the previous two years as an assistant coach to Rick Stone at the Newcastle Knights as well as a distinguished Queensland Cup coaching career. Dunemann also played with the Raiders back in 2007.
“Last week was the first official trial and I’m confident with the talent in the squad. If we can stay injury free and keep our best side on the park, we’re going to be very competitive in this competition. I’m excited about the team’s chances,” Dunemann said.
“All coaches this time of the year are optimistic about their side’s chances and some get rose tinted classes about what they’ve got in their squad, but I know I’ve got some particularly good talent here. I’ve been comparing the talent here to what I’ve been involved with in the past and I rate a fair few of them very highly so hopefully they’ll perform to their potential when the time comes.”
The 20s have two more trials remaining before their season kicks off against the Melbourne Storm in round one. The squad will be travelling to Lavington Sports Ground in Albury on Saturday the 11th of February to have a trial run against the Storm at 4:45pm.
Then on the 18th of February the Toyota Cup side will travel to Belmore Sports Ground to take on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, whilst the NRL side travels to Wagga Wagga.
“The whole squad will be getting a run in the trials so they’ll have to get out there and perform to show me what they’ve got. We’re down to thirty now but we’ve still got about eight or nine that are out injured. They’ll all get a run in the next couple of trials and when we get down to the last trial I’ll have the squad finalised.”
“Most of the boys in the squad have been in the Raiders system for quite some time now so they know what’s expected of them and they’re all a pretty tight knit bunch.”
Regardless of how they perform in the trials though, Dunemann has a ‘no work or study equals no play’ policy. Each squad member must work or study for them to be eligible for selection for each game.
“I’ll definitely be holding to that when I’m picking the teams. If they’re not working or studying they won’t be in the team.”
“For them to do what they do training-wise, coupled with working or studying, it’s a big task in regards to what’s required of them but a great learning curve as well.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing them perform out on the field.”
Source: Raiders.com.au
Topic: Raiders Toyota Cup Trial Info
