Brothers head into return game with many recruits still on the way

After not taking part in the annual pre-season clash with Coogee, the Wagga club will again play host to this year's game at Parramore Park on Saturday.

While it will be the first time the club has taken to the field under new coach Aaron Gorrell, the former NRL player doesn't believe it will be a true indication of what is to come in 2024.

Gorrell expects to have at least 10 new faces come into the squad before their season starts.

Instead he feels the hit out will allow him to get a better gauge of a lot of the local talent already at the club.

"It's probably a bit early for us to have our first game but we have to start somewhere," Gorrell said.

"The PNG boys won't be here for it and a couple of other new recruits I'm just waiting to confirm won't be either so it's going to be a pretty young squad but they are blokes who have been here for the full pre-season and they get an opportunity to show what they can do before the new blokes get here.

"It will be good to get on the field and see what we've got and what else we need to recruit."

Brothers and Coogee have had a long standing relationship with the game honouring a Wagga man who was among those killed in the 2012 Bali bombings.

Gorrell believes it adds more to the occasion.

"It's a cause for both clubs that was a pretty sad thing to have to go through for everyone involved," he said.

"It is always good to have a game with a little bit of meaning at this time of year.

"It will be a good place to kick off and it will be good just to see where we are at and where we need to improve."

Brothers have the bye to start the Group Nine season meaning their first game won't be until their clash with Kangaroos on April 20.

As such Gorrell isn't overly concerned by their approach to the trial game.

"It's not going to be the side we run out with in round one but it's a good reward for the people who have been here early and have been through the pre-season boringness of just getting flogged and not getting a game," he said.

"It is a reward for them but it's not going to be a big gauge of where we are at either.

"With what's happening I'm looking forward to it and we've got the bye in round one so we've still got over a month to get ourselves sorted.

"I know the blokes here are going to be fit enough, we've done enough work, and I know the blokes coming in with most of them playing at the moment so they will probably be further on than us.

"We will hit the ground running when we need to but we need a starting point."

Instead he's confident it will all come together for the club.

"We've obviously got a lot of people to come in and they are quality," Gorrell said.

"We are going to be a very physical side but there's still a few little pieces of the jigsaw to go.

"We knew we weren't going to be the best team in round one from the start after not playing last year.

"We have a starting point and we will improve.

"We will be competitive."