RUGBY LEAGUE
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The 2014 Group 11 season will begin with a bang today as the reborn Westside Rabbitohs take on the Macquarie Raiders in a bumper Anzac 0Day clash at Apex Oval.
Since being given the green light to return to the competition last November, the Westside club has been working tirelessly to get ready for the competition proper to kick off and Rabbitohs player Robbie Olsen said the excitement has been building at training.
"There's been a new vibe around and the guys have picked up the pace," he said.
"The season opener has created extra interest and given the coaches some real headaches over who to select."
The Rabbitohs have shown plenty of promise in the pre-season with a win over last season's semi-finalists, Nyngan, earlier this month and have named a strong side today which includes prized recruits Jade Hooper and David Peachey.
Former Cronulla star Peachey will start on the bench while Kurt Fuller, whose final-minute penalty goal sealed the win over Nyngan, will be tasked with leading the side around at halfback and Olsen says the number seven will be key if his side are to be victorious.
"We'll beat Macquarie with the skills and abilities of our outside backs, there's a lot of good combinations" he said.
"Kurt Fuller and Shannon Fuller have played together for a lot of years and now they're bringing it to the top level so our young guys will do the job and we'll give them a real shake."
Macquarie, meanwhile, have a host of new players and captain-coach John Grey believes playing a number of trials has been beneficial for his squad, with his new look team beginning to gel already.
"We've been training since November and we've played the most trials out of anyone but the basis for that was we've got a lot of blokes coming back to our club and we needed to see everyone in action," he said.
"It's been about working on combinations but in saying that we are missing a few blokes that do form crucial parts of our first grade side."
Josh Merritt and Eddie Gusuivalu will miss the match through injury while Viliame Cagibula continues to serve a suspension he received last year but Raiders fans will get a chance to see the likes of newcomers Chris Daley, Adam McDermott and Dylan Hill in their first competitive hit out.
Grey said he was happy with his side's pre-season and had full confidence in the squad he'd chosen but he did admit the Westside lineup was an intimidating one, and one that would punish and lapses in concentration his side could suffer.
"We know it will be a grind and we've got to get into that grind early and work the basics," he said.
"If we get away from our structure, the calibre of their players can score points from anywhere on the park and their structure and depth is kind of scary."
The day begins at 12pm when the under-18s kickoff, with the main game starting at 3pm.
Macquarie Raiders: 1. Chris Daley 2. Ash Widders 3. Matt Lane 4. Lasaro Turagadrall 5. John Grey 6. Mason Williams 7. Adam McDermott 8. Anthony Egan-Smith 9. Jeremy Smith 10. Dylan Hill 11. Tom Magann 12. James McKinnon 13. Perry Meredith. Interchange: 14. Jarryhd Usher 15. Zac Rennick 16. Ash Con 17. Brodie Chapman 18. Travis Hill
Westside Rabbitohs:n 1. Steve Riley 2. Dylan Fuller, 3. Corey Ashby 4. EJ Fernando 5. Ethan Eulo 6. Robbie Fuller 7. Kurt Fuller 8. Chad Parkes 9. Jock Byrne 10. Mick Gibson 11. Jade Hooper 12. Justin Shillingsworth 13. Shannon Fuller. Interchange: 14. Robbie Olsen 15. Marty Fernando 16. Peter Boon 17. David Peachey.