South Sydney coach Michael Maguire warns the battle for the halfback spot to start the premiership is not over yet, despite Adam Reynolds being named to start there in Saturday's trial against the New Zealand Warriors at Coffs Harbour.
Reynolds has been favourite to succeed Chris Sandow as half, but Maguire gave both Reynolds and Ryan Carr a chance in their trial match against Warrington.
Maguire said Reynolds and Carr would each spend time partnering five-eighth John Sutton and might also play together in the halves.
''Don't read too much into Adam starting,'' he said. ''It's still a battle between he and Ryan. They've both represented themselves very well in pre-season training, and both did well in the game against Warrington.
''There's every chance they'll both play in the Charity Shield against the Dragons as well, so it probably won't become clear who's going to be named halfback for the first round until after that game.''
Centre Greg Inglis, fullback or winger Nathan Merritt and hooker Isaac Luke were the key players missing from the team Maguire named yesterday. Inglis and Merritt were injured playing in the All Stars match, and Luke is suspended.
Inglis is out for four to six weeks with an ankle sprain, which could see him miss the first two rounds, but Merritt is likely to be back from a toe injury for the Charity Shield at ANZ Stadium on Saturday week.
Shaune Corrigan will fill in for Inglis against the Warriors. Merritt has been training mainly at fullback and is expected to start the premiership there, but Fetuli Talanoa will have the job against the Warriors.
Souths' season may have flashed before their eyes when Inglis was helped from the field in the All Stars match , but the club's belief in the value of the concept can't be shaken.
Asked yesterday if Souths had any qualms with the timing of the match between the Indigenous and NRL teams, chief executive Shane Richardson said: ''We've got no problem with it at all. I think it's a great night for rugby league and a great celebration of what the Indigenous people bring to the game. I walked around the stadium at the Gold Coast ... and saw the huge amount of Indigenous people in the crowd, and I thought it was fantastic.
''The match provides great recognition for Indigenous players from past and present, and Souths are right behind it,'' he said.
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