2 weeks Ago By Josh Callinan
CENTRAL coach Adam Bettridge expects centre Tyrone Nean to return "at his best" as the Butcher Boys embrace home-ground advantage for another grand-final shot. Login or signup to continue reading A suspended Nean watched from the sidelines as Central went down 40-12 to minor premiers the Pickers at Maitland Sportsground last weekend. Bettridge now welcomes back the former Newcastle Rugby League rookie of the year , banned for a dangerous throw from week one of the semis, with the Butcher Boys hosting The Entrance at St John Oval on Sunday (3pm).
"That's a huge in for us. What he does - yardage carries, attacking ability and more importantly that combination on the left with Rex [Gill] and Isaiah [Olsen]," Bettridge said. "He sat and watched with us [coaches] on the weekend and that really hurt him so I expect Tyrone to be at his best and we're looking forward to having him back.
" This preliminary final marks the second time these clubs have crossed paths during 2024, Entrance getting the job done 36-26 a little under two months ago. It's the only time Central have lost at their Charlestown headquarters this season. The Butcher Boys were on the road over the opening fortnight of finals, taking care of Souths before a heavy defeat in the Coalfields.
"It's a good reward for the Central club and we've worked hard to put ourselves in the position to get this game," Bettridge said. Butcher Boys hooker Joey Morris is free to play, entering an early plea this week and avoiding suspension for dangerous contact. MAO Uta will be racing the fitness clock this week ahead of a Newcastle Rugby League play-off against his former club after copping "20-odd stitches".
The Entrance winger faces medical assessments leading into Sunday's preliminary final with Central at St John Oval, following an in-game head clash last weekend. Uta, previously at Central and Wests, was mainly treated underneath his mouth as The Entrance beat Souths 28-10 for back-to-back semi victories. "Mao's got about 20-odd stitches in his face," Tigers coach Jamy Forbes told the Newcastle Herald .
"Straight underneath his mouth, bottom lip and down deep. It went right through. "Now it will come down to doctor's advice about how the stitches hold up I suppose.
" Alan Munro will be sidelined because of a concussion suffered in the same fixture while Alex Pohla remains in doubt. Key prop Myles Lee-Taueli escaped suspension with an early plea this week despite a dangerous contact charge. Zahn McKay, 18, debuted for The Entrance against Souths at Cessnock Sportsground on Sunday with Forbes describing him as "one of the best on ground".
Blake Austin, former NRL and English Super League pivot, returned from an injury hiatus with Forbes praising the playmaker's "control", "calmness" and "sensational kicking game". My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team.
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