Raiders skipper Elliott Whitehead has full confidence in centre Seb Kris to handle the fullback position in Saturday’s season opener against the Cowboys.
With regular fullback Xavier Savage set to be sidelined for up to eight weeks with a broken jaw, coach Ricky Stuart had a choice between Kris and Kiwi veteran Jordan Rapana to wear the No.1 jersey.
After being named at centre for the Raiders’ second Pre-season Challenge match against Wests Tigers, Kris shifted to fullback but had limited opportunities to shine with five runs for 43 metres.
Kris enjoyed a fine season in the centres in 2022 with 14 tries and 12 line breaks but Whitehead is adamant the 23-year-old has found confidence training at fullback in recent weeks and can make a big impact with his talk.
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“I thought he was really good in that first half, obviously a different role for him at fullback but he fits in there really well and the more he trains and plays there the more comfortable he’s going to get,” Whitehead told the media.
“He’s had another good week there at training and we’re making him talk a lot more so he’s getting a lot louder and more confident out the back.
“It is a hard role but he’s a fit kid and his talk is starting to get there now as well so you can feel him getting a lot more confident in that role. I’m sure he’ll fit in very well and get better and better each week.
“I’m surprised he hasn’t thrown me there to be honest, he’s thrown me everywhere else, but I don’t think I’m fit enough for that anymore.”
It's unlikely we'll see the Bradford-born prop run out at fullback, but Whitehead said there are a number of young guns nipping at the heels of the Raider's international forward stocks.
Knights recruit Pasami Saulo has been named to start at prop against the Cowboys on Saturday to replace Josh Papali'i who is out with a calf injury.
Standing at an imposing 190 centimetres tall, the 33-year-old international prop said Saulo is a welcome addition to the Raider’s forward rotation, particularly following the departures of Ryan Sutton and Adam Elliot.
“Pasami has come in and he’s done a really good job. He’s a big boy and he’s going to fill the role where Ryan Sutton and Adam Elliot have left that hole,” Whitehead said.
“Adam Elliot and Ryan Sutton were awesome for us last year and for Pasami to come in and fill that spot where they’ve dropped out...he's really impressed me.
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“Danny Levi has been impressive too, he’s been around a few different clubs but has settled really well.
“Ata Mariota and Trey Mooney are really pushing for that spot as well so I’m not sure whoever Sticky is going to go with this week but whoever comes in, I’m sure they’re going to do a great job.”
After a slow start to their 2022 campaign, Whitehead is hoping his side can push past their Pre-season Challenge defeats and 'stick to their game plan' when they meet with the Cowboys at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
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“We’ve got to move on from that trial. We were disappointed with the performance but I know and the team knows we are a lot better than that,’ he said.
“Everyone wants to get off to a good start but it’s a lot harder than it sounds. We started really poorly last year, we were two from eight and we don’t want to start like that again so we’ll be doing everything we can to get the win.
“The Cowboys were good last year and I’m expecting them to be good this year so it’s going to be a good challenge to go up there in humid conditions but if we can stick to our game plan, complete well, kick in corners and hopefully we'll get the win.”
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