MACCAN LOOKING TO SETTLE SQUAD IN BURLEIGH TRIAL

Mal Meninga Cup Head Coach Tim Maccan will be looking to finalise his preparations for the season ahead and also his playing squad during this weekend’s trial against the Burleigh Bears at Piggabeen Sports Complex. 

With this being the third and final trial ahead of the season proper, Maccan is keen to see his troops run out and perform as close as they can to what will be the potential Round 1 side. 

After a long pre-season that has seen approximately 28 players slog it out through the summer heat, it all comes to a head at this week’s trial and as every team pushes towards the competition kick-off on February 26. 

“I’m hopeful of having close to our starting side out there this weekend,” Maccan said. 

“We’ve had two other trials but we’re wanting to get those combinations right and it’ll be a good test against a Burleigh side who are doing some good things.

“Through my work I know a lot of the kids there and Michael Witt (Burleigh Coach) is running a good program there so we know we’ll have a good hit-out, which is what we want.”

Off the back of three Mal Meninga Cup competition victories in a row, you’d expect that Maccan would be feeling an element of pressure to keep the run going but if anything it’s the total opposite. 

“I don’t really feel the pressure to get the results,” Maccan added. 

“It’s not what it’s about for me. For me it’s about the development of the players. We only get them for a short period and a lot of them are a part of a number of teams as well. 

“It’s about having the systems in place, concentrating on player development and making sure that every training session has a focus on becoming better. 

“We run a 24 week program but ultimately have an 8-week season so we have to make sure our preparation is on-point and we are running at a 100% for the season. 

“It’s also about controlling the message with the players as well. They are obviously skilled so we just want to provide them with the basic information and then allow them to play the way they know how.”

Maccan’s Mal Meninga Cup side will play the third and final game of this Saturday’s scheduled trials at Piggabeen Sports Complex. Entry will be via a gold coin donation, with all proceeds going towards the Tongan Volcano Emergency Appeal. 

Saturday’s trial game information:

9:00am – Harvey Norman Women’s U19 v Burleigh Bears

10:15am – Cyril Connell Cup U16s v Burleigh Bears

11:30am – Mal Meninga Cup U18s v Burleigh Bears