The NRL trial season is over for another year with two weeks of training all that stands between the 16 clubs and the start of the 2020 Telstra Premiership season.

Some of the usual suspects stood up in the pre-season, while some of the title contenders failed to deliver on the pre-season hype.

We rate every NRL club’s trial form heading into the 2020 NRL season.

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Round 19

STORM A+

Results: 18-16 WIN v Warriors, 22-14 WIN vs Cowboys

Key trial injuries: Brandon Smith (facial fracture, Round 3-4)

How they fared: The Storm have had a seamless start to their minor premiership defence with two narrow wins over the Warriors and Cowboys. Cameron Munster’s tutorials with Cooper Cronk seem to be having a positive impact on his kicking game with two try assists off his boot against the Cowboys. The win over the near full strength Cowboys was a good sign for Craig Bellamy’s side heading into the new season. The loss of Brandon Smith for the first four rounds due to a facial fracture suffered in the All Stars game is the only blemish on the Storm’s pre-season.

Stars and strugglers: Justin Olam will be the Storm’s strike centre in 2020 after the departure of Curtis Scott and Will Chambers and the early signs are good based on his performances in the trials. However the Storm will need plenty from Olam and centre partner Marion Seve if they are to unleash their brilliant back three on a consistent basis. Brandon Smith’s injury has opened the door for wantaway hooker Harry Grant to get some game time in the early rounds and he did his chances of selection no harm in a try-scoring performance against the Cowboys.

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RABBITOHS A+

Results: 28-24 win v Eels, 26-12 win v Dragons

Key trial injuries: Jaydn Su’A (HIA, Round 1), Ethan Lowe (knee, Round 1), Patrick Mago (torn pec, Round 12)

How they fared: An understrengthed Rabbitohs outfit stunned an Eels side full of NRL stars in their opening trial. However when their stars returned for the Charity Shield, South Sydney were dominated by the Dragons in a poor first half performance. The Dragons outplayed their more fancied rivals to lead 12-4 at the break. It was up to the South Sydney kids to again turn the tide in the second half, as the Rabbitohs ran out 26-12 winners to secure their fifth straight Charity Shield.

Stars and strugglers: Latrell Mitchell had an up and down first outing as Rabbitohs fullback. He set up the first try for Campbell Graham in the first minute, but dropped a high ball and looked to be struggling with the workload at fullback at times. Tom Burgess had a monster game to lead a young pack to a shock win over the Eels. Cameron Murray had a slow start to life in the No.12 jersey against the Dragons with two errors, but he warmed into the role to finish the game strongly. Liam Knight performed well in his new role at No.13 against the Dragons. Alex Johnston will be pushing the Rabbitohs back three hard for a starting spot. Campbell Graham and Braidon Burns will need to lift with Johnston, Corey Allan and Bryson Goodwin waiting in the wings.

Latrell Mitchell had a mixed start to life as Rabbitohs fullback. Source: Getty Images

ROOSTERS A-

Results: 20-12 WIN v St Helens, 58-0 LOSS v Knights

Key trial injuries: Angus Crichton (concussion, Round 1)

How they fared: The back-to-back reigning premiers look in control of their task to replace halfback Cooper Cronk, with young gun Kyle Flanagan playing a key role in the side’s World Club Challenge retention mission. The near-full strength outfit successfully ground out a WCC victory to kick things off, while Canterbury Cup coach Jason Taylor had more than Trent Robinson to take away from the team’s effort in Gosford, where no touring player backed up from the trip to Europe and the coaching group put an almost entirely reserve grade standard squad up against the Knights.

Stars and strugglers: Luke Keary’s man-of-the-match effort against St Helens has the defending premiers in safe hands, while it appears fellow superstars like James Tedesco didn’t have a lot of rust to knock off. Look for right centre Joseph Manu to take the next step, while Jake Friend displayed a hunger to ensure emerging rake option Sam Verrils doesn’t pinch his starting role any time soon.

COWBOYS B+

Results: 18-16 WIN vs Broncos, 22-14 LOSS vs Storm

Key trial injuries: Scott Drinkwater (pec, Round 1).

How they fared: After winning the Nines tournament, the Cowboys should have been flying high. However they just edged out the Broncos and looked scrappy against the Storm. One positive that shouldn’t be taken for granted is that they came out of the trials almost unscathed.

Stars and strugglers: Reuben Cotter got his NRL debut half way through last season and excited a lot of Cowboys fans in the five games he played. The 21-year-old didn’t play in the loss to the Storm but he shone against the Broncos scoring a double and looking solid in defence. Valentine Holmes looks fit and firing and ready to dominate the NRL again after his stint in the NFL.

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PANTHERS B-

Results: 32-4 WIN v Tigers, 22-22 DRAW v Eels

Key trial injuries: No injuries from trials

How they fared: In their first trial, the Panthers fielded a stronger side than their opponents and it was reflected in the scoreline. Coach Ivan Cleary was happy with his side’s physicality in that clash, while they backed it up against the Eels in Bega. All eyes have been on Nathan Cleary has he becomes the chief playmaker following James Maloney’s exit and the signs are positive early on.

Stars and strugglers: In both trials, Matt Burton has put forward a strong case to partner Nathan Cleary in the halves and Caleb Aekins will take over the No.1 jersey while Dylan Edwards recovers from an ankle injury suffered at training. It’s long been expected that Jerome Luai will play five-eighth, but Burton is giving Ivan Cleary a good headache. Tyrone May also looked good in the pre-season games, but won’t be available for selection until Round 5 following his ban.

Nathan Cleary had an entertaining dual with Mitchell Moses. Source: Getty Images

DRAGONS B-

Results: 38-12 WIN vs Knights, 26-12 LOSS vs Rabbitohs

Key trial injuries: Tim Lafai (head cut, Round 1), Josh Kerr (knee, Round 1-3)

How they fared: Hot and cold. After an exciting win over the Knights, things were looking good for the Dragons. Zac Lomax made the No.1 jersey his own and they raced away in the second half to score 32 unanswered points. But they couldn’t back it up in last Saturday’s Charity Shield loss. The Dragons started off strong, but in a total opposite result to the previous week they lost their fire in the second half.

Stars and strugglers: Lomax’s blistering performance against the Knights would have been enough to show coach Paul McGregor he’s more than capable to take on the fullback role permanently, until his iffy performance on Saturday suggested otherwise. Jordan Pereira scored four tries against Newcastle and should have locked down his spot on the wing.

BULLDOGS B-

Results: 30-18 WIN vs Sharks, 12-10 LOSS vs Raiders

Key trial injuries: Chris Smith (knee, mid to late season), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (back, Round 1).

How they fared: The Bulldogs had a relatively successful hit-out in the trials. The win against the Sharks is a hard one to take much from given Cronulla fielded a rookie squad. However, the Raiders played close to their strongest side and the bulldogs were able to keep up. The team has had a slow start to the last two seasons before finally finding their groove. Coach Dean Pay can take confidence out of both matches that his men showed the same hunger that saw them win five of their last six games of the season.

Stars and strugglers: Pay has a tough decision ahead of him for Round 1. All three halves contenders Lachlan Lewis, Jack Cogger and Brandon Wakeham showed promising signs during the trials. However, Cogger’s enthusiasm should win him a starting spot. The 22-year-old was especially busy in the Raiders trial and made it clear to Pay that he is willing to fight for his spot. New recruit Dean Britt shone in his first NRL games for the club. He was a spitting image of his dad, club legend Darren, as he tore through his opponents and showed an undying work ethic. Rookie Jake Averillo got a chance to show what he can do with Nick Meaney and Marcelo Montoya both recovering from injuries and didn’t look out of place. The 19-year-old will be a handy back up for the outside backs in 2020.

TITANS B-

Results: 18-16 LOSS vs Burleigh, 28-22 WIN vs Broncos

Key trial injuries: The Titans didn’t pick up any additional injuries during the trial games.

How they fared: It was a mixed bag for the Titans. Although coach Justin Holbrook didn’t field an NRL-standard team against Burleigh, the likes of Jarrod Wallace, Shannon Boyd, Brian Kelly, Dale Copley and Jonus Pearson lined up. Their second performance against the Broncos was much more exciting, with the team showing a lot more bite than what they did in 2019.

Stars and strugglers: Ashley Taylor was in control last Saturday and it paid dividends for the Titans. Mitch Rein showed plenty of spark and new recruit Sam Lisone proved his worth. Big men Jarrod Wallace and Shannon Boyd didn’t struggle, but Holbrook can get more out of them in 2020.

RAIDERS C+

Results: 12-10 WIN v Bulldogs

Key trial injuries: John Bateman (shoulder, Round 8), Ryan Sutton (suspension, Round 1)

How they fared: The Raiders had just the one trial against the Bulldogs with the early signs suggesting they have a long way to go to reach the heights of last season. The Bulldogs dominated the early stages of the game to lead 10-0 when both sides were at full strength. Jack Wighton got the Raiders back in the contest with a try in the 24th minute, but it took a converted try from Sam Williams late in the second half to snatch a narrow win.

Stars and strugglers: Jack Wighton admitted his combination with George Williams would take time to develop after the pair put in a clunky first up performance as a halves duo. Corey Horsburgh stepped up in the absence of John Bateman and the club will rely on the fiery red head to ignite their pack until the Englishman returns in Round 8. Star signing Curtis Scott appeared to be overplaying his hand in a bid to impress new coach Ricky Stuart. Given how well Joey Leilua fared for his new Tigers team, the Raiders will be hoping Scott can turn around his form sooner rather than later.

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EELS C+

Results: 24-28 LOSS v Rabbitohs, 22-22 DRAW v Panthers

Key trial injuries: Waqa Blake (shoulder, Round 1)

How they fared: The Eels failed to deliver on the pre-season hype after a strong off-season in the player market. A star-studded Eels outfit were beaten by a baby Bunnies side in their opening trial. Brad Arhtur’s side then found themselves down 16-6 against the Panthers in Bega and had to rely on some individual brilliance from Mitchell Moses to snatch a draw.

Stars and strugglers: Mitchell Moses has clearly learned a thing or two from new Eels halves coach Andrew Johns in the off-season. Moses produced a show and go for a first half try, before pulling off a brilliant chip and chase for his second to lead an Eels’ fightback. Star forward signings Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Ryan Matterson were solid without being spectacular in the pre-season and the Eels will need them to deliver consistently in order to challenge the top sides in 2020.

Josh Morris is making it hard for the Roosters to acquire his services. Source: Getty Images

SHARKS C+

Results: 30-18 LOSS v Bulldogs, 28-16 WIN v Sea Eagles

Key trial injuries: Cameron King (ACL, season)

How they fared: The Sharks head into the 2020 with an inexperienced roster, but they showed in both games they’ve got some bright young talent ready to make a mark in NRL. Against the Bulldogs in PNG, coach John Morris fielded a largely inexperienced team, but that wasn’t the case against Manly and they made their opposition pay with a solid showing.

Stars and strugglers: Josh Morris showed exactly why the Sharks need him on their roster with consistent, professional performances at both centre and fullback. Jack Williams appears to have locked down Paul Gallen’s old No.13 jersey, while utility Connor Tracey and prop forward Toby Rudolf are well in the mix for bench roles.

Josh Reynolds provided spark off the bench against the Warriors. Source: Getty Images

TIGERS C+

Results: 32-4 LOSS v Panthers, 20-6 WIN v Warriors

Key trial injuries: Moses Mbye (knee, Round 1)

How they fared: A lot of the team’s bigger names were rested in their first trial against Penrith, but coach Michael Maguire was still pleased with a number of his players who are pushing for Round 1 berths. Against the Warriors, however, they were at near full strength and it showed in a sharp performance.

Stars and strugglers: Zane Musgrove could find himself as part of the prop rotation in Round 1 with a solid 90 metres from 10 runs against the Warriors, while centre Joey Leilua put in a starring role in the trial win with nine tackle busts, 142 metres and one try assist. Josh Reynolds looked good at hooker in both games as he tries to beat Billy Walters to the No.9 jersey.

KNIGHTS C-

Results: 38-12 LOSS v Dragons, 58-0 WIN v Roosters

Key trial injuries: Sione Mata’utia (knee, Round 4)

How they fared: Newcastle took some time to warm into the pre-season, after a flat showing in Maitland and a scoreless first quarter against a ‘B-grade’ Roosters outfit in Gosford, but new coach Adam O’Brien will take plenty of positives from the 58-nil romping, as the near full strength Knights line-up came home with a wet sail on the Central Coast. It was the first time key spine members Kalyn Ponga and Mitchell Pearce have played alongside dummy half recruit Jayden Brailey and the new combination solidified in attack as the first half aged.

Stars and strugglers: Kurt Mann didn’t hurt his chances of starting 2020 as the preferred partner of Pearce in the halves, while Connor Watson‘s stellar pre-season and transition to the in vogue hybrid hooker-lock bench position appears complete, looking comfortable as a runner, ballplayer and backup rake option in 50 minutes against his old club. Newcastle has an embarrassment of riches in the middle forwards, with starting props David Klemmer and Daniel Saifiti both excelling, Herman Ese’ese showing both physicality and a deft touch, plus Jacob Saifiti’s impressive training form translating to an impactful appearance against the Roosters. Gahemat Shibesaki has stamped his starting role at right centre, but Enari Tuala’s showing on the left leaves O’Brien with a decision, as Moga also becomes available come Round 1.

WARRIORS D

Results: 18-16 LOSS vs Storm, 20-6 LOSS vs Wests Tigers

Key trial injuries: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (foot, Round 1), Kodi Nikorima (ankle, Round 1), Agnatius Paasi (ankle, Round 1), Josh Curran (knee, Round 1) Jackson Frei (knee, season), Patrick Herbet (leg, TBC), Lachlan Burr (back, TBC).

How they fared: Two losses is not ideal, however the first game was a rookie vs rookie show. The focus is more on Sunday’s loss to the Tigers. The Warriors started strong but started to fizzle in the second half. David Fusitua’s shift to the centres has happened seamlessly. The 25-year-old didn’t look out of place as he took a few big rungs, while Kodi Nikorima looks to have secured his spot in the halves over Chanel Harris-Tavita.

Stars and strugglers: Jamayne Taunoa-Brown was solid off the bench. Having been recently upgraded to the club’s Top 30, coach Stephen Kearney already has his eye on the 23-year-old. Brown repaid the faith the club has put in him and showed he is pushing for a spot in the 17.

BRONCOS D+

Results: 36-18 WIN v Capras, 16-12 LOSS v Wynnum Manly, 18-16 LOSS v Cowboys, 28-22 LOSS v Titans

Key trial injuries: Alex Glenn (hamstring, Round 1)

How they fared: Coach Anthony Seibold trotted out his most experienced line-ups for the final two trials and there’s some cause of concern as they dropped both games. The new halves combination of Anthony Milford and Brodie Croft showed promising signs in both games. Against the Titans they raced out to a 16-0 lead inside 23 minutes, but their defence crumbled after that as their Queensland rivals ran in five unanswered tries.

Stars and strugglers: Darius Boyd will be under pressure to hold down his left centre spot after a poor showing against the Titans, while the forward pack will also be feeling the heat with Matt Lodge, Joe Ofahengaue and Alex Glenn potentially all sidelined for Round 1. Thomas Flegler looks capable of filling the Lodge void, while Xavier Coates could push flyer Jamayne Isaako out of the side after a strong showing on Saturday.

Brodie Croft showed promise for the Broncos. Source: Getty Images

SEA EAGLES D+

Results: 16-28 LOSS v Sharks

Key trial injuries: Albert Hopoate (knee, Round 8)

How they fared: The Sea Eagles had a limited pre-season in comparison to some of the other teams with just one trial against the Sharks. Des Hasler chose to wrap stars Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic in cotton wool for Round 1. An understrength Sea Eagles fought hard, but were ultimately outplayed by a classy Sharks outfit brimming with NRL talent.

Stars and strugglers: Danny Levi kicked off his career for his new club with a try-scoring debut at hooker against the Sharks. Man mountain Haumole Olakau’atu also scored a try and looks set for a breakout year in 2020. Toafofoa Sipley has a big job to fill in for injured prop Addin Fonua-Blake in the early rounds.