Warren All Smiles After Junior League Trials

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday September 26, 2006

HIGH temperatures and gusty winds made life difficult for players and spectators alike at the Newcastle Knights junior representative team trials at Peacock Field, Toronto, at the weekend.

The trials were held to select the Knights Harold Matthews (under-16) and SG Ball (under-18) teams for next year's NSW Rugby League competitions.

Factoring in the tough conditions, Knights coaching and development manager Warren Smiles was pleased with the standard of games played and was confident they would select competitive teams in 2007.

Smiles said the coaches were in the process of reviewing DVD replays of the games, and he expected them to meet later this week to finalise their squads.

Garth Brennan will coach the under 16s next year, and Paul McLaren, John Styles and Mark Winkler will be his assistants.

Brennan will replace Laurie Clifton, who will move into a new role of juniors coaching co-ordinator and coach educator.

Dean Botham is the new under 18s coach, replacing Phil Williams, and he will be assisted by his brother, Bret Botham, and Brett Cullen.

Williams is tipped to take over from Parramatta-bound Rip Taylor in charge of Newcastle's Jersey Flegg (under-20) team next season.

Taylor has guided the Knights into the Flegg grand final against Penrith at Telstra Stadium on Sunday.

Newcastle were the Flegg minor premiers and qualified for the title decider by beating St George Illawarra 23-22 at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday.

? Cessnock West Public School performed admirably to finish in the top four of the state at the recent NSW primary schools basketball championships in Sydney.

The talented team were undefeated through the preliminary rounds leading into the state titles.

Winners of the combined Maitland and Cessnock Primary Schools Sports Association competition, Cessnock West were the Hunter representatives at the state titles.

Coached by Roz Davies, the Cessnock West side stunned New Lambton Public School by winning 19-14 in the regional final.

The girls then went to the state titles at Penrith Basketball Stadium, where they defeated Kelso Public School 18-12 before losing the semi-final to Kings Langley, 42-21.

JUNIOR SPORT RESULTS AND FIXTURES, PAGES 52-54