Cessnock coach Harry Siejka has hailed his club's recruitment of Jarred Anderson as a "massive coup" with the back-rower a chance to make his Goannas debut against Central today.
Anderson, a former Sydney Roosters and Canterbury Bulldogs lower-grade player who spent the past few years with Kurri, had been yet to commit to playing this year but has signed on to have a run with his old side's rivals.
"He was tossing and turning about whether he was going to play but we ended up getting him on, which is a massive coup for us I reckon," Siejka said.
"He is still only young. A back-rower, lock or centre.
"He's a big boy and has looked really sharp at training."
Siejka said 24-year-old Anderson had only started training in recent weeks but was closing in on his first game for the club, which could come today at Cessnock Sports Ground.
He said Anderson's recruitment had come at a handy point in the season for his side, equal fifth after four wins and as many losses.
"It's only creating more competition for spots with him coming in and I'm expecting pretty good things from him," Siejka said.
"He may play this week or we might give him another week to get up to speed."
The Goannas are coming off a 28-4 win over The Entrance last week that broke a three-game losing streak.
Siejka said it was a "desperate" victory by his team, boosted by the return of Wyatt Shaw and Fletcher Sharpe from the Knights. Sharpe scored a double in what was his first-grade debut.
"Being a Cessnock junior, it was nice to see him cross for a couple," Siejka said. "Wyatt made a huge difference. [Fletcher] has got called straight back into the Flegg side, so I don't think we will seem him again."
Central's game against Kurri last week was washed out, leaving them third but on an equal 10 points with Macquarie and Souths.
In the four other games on Saturday, Macquarie host undefeated league leaders Maitland in a top-of-the-table clash, while Wyong travel to Kurri Kurri and Souths are at home to winless Wests.
Lakes United played The Entrance on Friday night.
