DAVID Fifita remains sidelined with injury and won't feature in this weekend's opening Newcastle Rugby League trial while The Entrance coach Jamy Forbes has quashed rumours about the signing of Tinirau Arona.
Forbes says former English Super League forward Fifitia, twin brother of recently retired NRL prop Andrew, has a calf issue and will continue to rest as the Tigers approach next month's first round.
The Entrance mentor also said Arona, previously at Wakefield and a Cook Islands international, won't be at the Central Coast club in 2023 despite being named recently in the region's representative squad.
"David Fifita won't play tomorrow, he's done something to his calf so no rushing at this time of year. Baby steps for big Dave at the moment," Forbes said.
"There's been rumours about Arona being with us, but we haven't signed him."
The Entrance travel to meet the Goannas at Cessnock Sportsground on Saturday with several new faces poised to wear a Tigers jersey, including hooker Joey Besgrove and playmaker Aaron Hill.
Forbes says Mao Uta, a winger who has returned to the club following stints at Central and Wests, was an uncertain starter.
Cessnock captain-coach Harry Siejka says the Goannas won't field the likes of Luke Huth and Sam Clune, who played in last weekend's representative trial for the Rebels.
However, first-grade regulars such as Reed Hugo, Harvey Neville and Hayden Regan will "blow the cobwebs out" alongside a host of new recruits including Lachlan Bent and Beau Abraham.
"One of the things we really noticed last year was a lack of depth," Siejka said.
"Our first grade squad was only really 25 players so we've tried to address that and we now have a squad of around 35."
With temperatures predicted to reach as high as 38 degrees Celcius in the Coalfields on Saturday, the pre-season match is expected to be split into 20 minute quarters.
Cessnock have also organised trials against Ryde-Eastwood and Wollongong's Wests Devils in the coming weeks while The Entrance are set to clash with Wentworthville and Northern Hawks before the Newcastle RL campaign starts on March 25-26.
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