While the NRL has a weekend's rest and the many of the Titans players headed away for a break, local league fans have the opportunity to watch three outstanding representative matches at Cbus Super Stadium tomorrow.
The first clash is between the Junior Kangaroos and Junior Kiwis at 3.15pm in a match that includes some of the best emerging talent in the NRL including Tepai Moeroa, Jackson Hastings, Valentine Holmes, Tevita Pangai and Robert Jennings who have already played NRL from the Australian side.
At 5.35pm Fiji take on Papua New Guinea and again there is plenty of talent on show with Kavin Naiqama, Korbin Sims, Marika Koroibete, Etonia Nabuli, Apisai Koroisau (Fiji) and Nene Macdonald, Wellington Albert and Ray Thompson players to watch from the Mal Meninga-coached PNG side who have the advantage of including plenty of PNG Hunters players.
Then at 7.40pm comes the Pacific derby between fierce rivals Tonga and Samoa with a wide range of NRL players, with the Tongans fielding a side with youth and flair and the Samoans a big, powerful and experienced pack.
The Tongans, coached by Kristian Woolf who is the brother of Titans under-20s coach Ben and who has the Townsville Blackhawks at the top of the Instrust Super Cup ladder, includes skipper Sika Manu, young Warriors centres Konrad Hurrell and Solomone Kata, brilliant Warriors fullback Tuimoala Lolohea, Manly winger Jorge Taufua, Big Eels forwards Manu Ma'a and Pene Terepo and Sharks winger Sosai Feki.
But it is the Samoans, who performed so well in the Four Nations of 2014, who have size and power in skipper Frank Prichard, Bulldogs teammate Sam Kasiano, Broncos Josh McGuire and Daniel Vidot and Pat Mata'utia.
Rarely will fans get the chance to see so much NRL talent on show at the one stadium on the one day.
Watch the Tongan and Samoan coaches and captains from today's media conference.
http://www.nrl.com/tonga-v-samoa-media-conference/tabid/10959/contentid/746506/default.aspx
