Lamb to unleash big guns on Jets

BULLDOGS TO BULLS AND BACK



He has a line-up that reads like an NRL team but Bankstown City Bulls coach Terry Lamb knows his side will need more than reputation to make an impact in this year’s NSW Cup.



But it’s hard to imagine the Bulldogs legend isn’t bearing a smile ahead of Round 2 of the NSW Cup this weekend after naming an unchanged superstar line-up to play the Newtown Jets on Saturday.



Lamb will unleash a team made up almost entirely of Bulldogs first-graders at Henson Park, all of whom are chomping at the bit to regain a spot in Kevin Moore’s resurgent Bulldogs NRL team.



With the NRL side having bought in abundance during the off season, Lamb has at his disposal a host of big names who are likely to give last year’s NSW Cup finalists a scare.



Brent Crisp, Heka Nanai, Tim Winitana, Matt Utai, Daryl Millard, Daniel Holdsworth, Trent Cutler, Michael Sullivan, Danny Williams, Yileen Gordon and Greek international Nick Kouparitsas are all set to run on against the Jets.



The fixture is one of several exciting clashes this weekend in the NSW Cup with spiritual home of the game, Birchgrove Oval, set to host Western Suburbs and Balmain Ryde Eastwood in a rematch of last year’s hugely successful Centenary clash.



Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore said he and his coaching staff paid close attention to performance of the Bulls – the Bulldogs’ official feeder side – and kept in close contact with coach Lamb.



“We’ve certainly got plenty of talented players waiting in the wings in the [Bankstown City] Bulls side and I’m sure all of them would be keen to perform well,” Moore said.



“They know that good performances for the Bulls will give them their best chance of selection for the Bulldogs.”



But Lamb said his big-name line-up had to do the simple things right this week following a 22-20 loss to 2008 NSW Cup Premiers Wentworthville last week.



“I had just about the same team last week and it didn’t make any difference,” Lamb said today.



“We didn’t hold the ball and I think in any game of Rugby League, regardless of the guys you have in your side, you have to do that well to get the win.”



Lamb said he didn’t feel any extra pressure for his side to perform well considering it closely resembles the 2008 NRL Bulldogs side.



“I was told 85 times last week that I had a great team but that didn’t put too much pressure on us,” Lamb said.



“Everyone knows each other and everyone has played with each other before, so that is to our advantage.



“We as a team have got to put pressure on the [Bulldogs] first graders, and the best way to do that is to play well as a team – it’s not all about the individuals.”



For the Jets, it’s the second week in a row the 2008 NSW Cup finalists have had to contend with NRL stars on a mission to regain their top spots, with St George Illawarra’s Neville Costigan wreaking havoc on the bluebags in their 42-10 defeat to Shellharbour last week.



The Jets will be keen to redeem themselves following their Round 1 loss and at the same time grab the attention of Brad Fittler following his side’s disastrous start to the NRL season.