Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League starts with Brothers taking on Ballina

Marist Brothers have a big game first up against the Ballina Seagulls at Crozier Field, Lismore on April 14.

Brothers have had a productive preseason with new halfback Shallin Fuller one to watch.

Second-rower James Durheim returns to his junior club.

Ballina has lost plenty of experience from its 2023 grand final team.

It still has plenty of strike in fullback Zac Beecher while centre Kel Sheather returns to the club.

It will be a 10.50am start for ladies league tag with the main game at 2.45pm.

Meanwhile, Northern United will take a new-look Kyogle side at New Park.

Kyogle have recruited heavily in the off-season with centre Dan Gibson, five-eighth Ryan Walker, front-rower Josh Beech and fullback Oliver Regan joining the club.

The Turkeys also have a new coach in Paul Jeffery who comes from a rugby union background.

United has plenty of experience of its own with former NRL player Tyrone Roberts steering the side around from five-eighth.

Centres Fred Pitt and Luke Simpson add plenty of strike to a backline which already has plenty of points in it.

Elsewhere, Casino will look to kick-start its season with a home game against Mullumbimby.

Coach Brett Loy returns to the club after leading the Cougars to the semi-finals in his previous stint.

Fullback Eddie Walker-Williams has been named as captain.

Mullumbimby should improve this season with former NRL coach Chris Anderson at the helm.

In other games, defending premiers Cudgen host Lower Clarence.

Bilambil is at home against the Evans Head Bombers with Byron Bay playing the Murwillumbah Mustangs.

All games are scheduled for a 2.45pm kick-off on April 14.

EXPECT a big season from centre Mitchell Krause, front-rower Lochie Perren and hooker Paul O'Neill in Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League.

The trio will line up for Marist Brothers with a mixture of new and experienced players this season.

Krause and O'Neill first joined the Rams as teenagers in 2011 while Perren is a 10-year veteran who hasn't even turned 30 yet.

Coach Matt Barber said all three have plenty left to achieve in the game.

He took the reins last season and has high hopes for 2024.

"I don't think they've played their best football yet and I'm expecting a lot more from those three," Barber said.

"These are guys who drive the group outside of training and do all the little things right.

"I don't want to put any extra pressure on anyone, but as a group we probably haven't played near our best."

Brothers have had a core group of players training since October.

Barber identified that they need to be fitter and doing plenty of extra work outside the scheduled training hours.

"We've had a really strong off-season with about 20-30 training from October onwards," he said.

"We only get the guys for a few hours a week and we told the players it's just not enough.

"The good teams are running every second day and doing gym and really looking after their bodies.

"We said if they're fair dinkum about having a crack at finals that's what they need to be doing and they responded to that.

"A lot of the younger guys really bought into it and they probably helped push a few of the senior players outside their comfort zone, too."

Brothers and the Lismore-based Northern United will be part of a 13-team competition this year.

Former NRL player and Northern Rivers product Tyrone Roberts is playing five-eighth for United.

United has plenty of strike in its backline with centre Luke Simpson joining the club and fullback Hezekiah McKenzie back for another season.

McKenzie was NRRRL Player of the Year last season and helped United to the second week of finals.

The Rams have some new additions of their own with halfback Shallin Fuller joining the club after some impressive seasons with the Burleigh Bears in the Gold Coast competition.

Second-rower James Durheim returns home while Bill King adds plenty of experience from the wing.

Brothers have worked hard to bring back its under-18 team this season as well as aligning with its junior and old boys base.

"Our committee has gone above and beyond to bridge the gaps in the club," Barber said.

"We're reaping the rewards of that now with our under-18s back and having kids coming to the club wanting to play.

"We're not having to go out and find them and the old boys are huge with their fundraising efforts and wanting to be around the club.

"It's a really good vibe at the moment and the best we've been for a few years."

Barber is also focused on improving himself having soaked up knowledge from former coaches and trainers who have gone on to NRL.

One of the Rams players he coached to a reserve grade premiership in 2017 is now with Wayne Bennett as a trainer at the Dolphins.

"I ring Blake Duncan one every few weeks about certain things and he is a basket of knowledge," Barber said.

"I'm trying to make myself better and passing that on to our other coaches."

Brothers first game will see them host Ballina on April 14 at Crozier Field after the opening round of the season this weekend was washed out.

United is away against Kyogle.