![Jess Gentle (main picture) in action during the 2022 National women's rugby sevens series; development players Evah McEwen (top right) and New Zealand recruits Isabella Waterman and Grace Kukutai (bottom right). Pictures by Jonathan Carroll and Marina Neil Jess Gentle (main picture) in action during the 2022 National women's rugby sevens series; development players Evah McEwen (top right) and New Zealand recruits Isabella Waterman and Grace Kukutai (bottom right). Pictures by Jonathan Carroll and Marina Neil](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ikLFZZUcNnvgygfqz78ZET/1636be7a-dcb7-43e1-87b7-e2227fae9c34.jpg/r0_0_1920_1079_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Coach Ben Jeffries has named multi-code talent Jess Gentle and two development players in a 23-player squad headed to Wagga Wagga this weekend for the Newcastle Knights' only NRLW trial before their home season-opener against the Sydney Roosters on July 25.
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Jeffries will take 14 players from last year's Knights' grand final-winning squad, including State of Origin quartet Tamika Upton (Queensland), Yasmin Clydsdale, Olivia Higgins and Caitlan Johnston-Green (NSW).
Gentle, who debuted in NRLW for Newcaste in 2022 before joining Canberra last season, is one of two players called up from the Knights' NSW Women's Premiership squad along with back-rower Fane Finau for the trial against the Raiders on Saturday.
The 27-year-old, who also plays NPLW Northern NSW for Charlestown Azzurri and is a talented rugby sevens player, has been included with Newcastle low on outside-backs.
Winger Tamerah Leati has suffered a major knee injury and looks set to be ruled out for the season.
Also in the casualty ward is prop Simone Karpani, who is nursing a foot complaint.
Development players Lilly-Ann White (fullback) and Evah McEwen (second row), who both played for NSW in the under-19 State of Origin on June 21, will also travel to Wagga Wagga with the team on Friday.
Prop Rima Butler and lock Viena Tinao were not included and will instead feature in the Knigthts' opening match of NSW Women's Premiership against the Bulldogs at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday (2pm).
"The majority of the squad will go but if anyone analyses our squad we are top-heavy in middles, so I can't get enough game time for middle players - eight, 10, 13 - so unfortunately some will miss out," Jeffries told the Newcastle Herald before the squad was named on Tuesday.
"They'll have to go back and play Harvey Norman [NSW premiership]. That's part of our squad make-up this year. The middles will be quite accountable around their performances because there's too many, so they'll be on notice more than probably other positions.
"But there are some really good middles in this group that have been tried and true. Some are three-time premiership-winners in a row. But they understand that they've got to be honest with their actions and behaviours and performances to warrant their spots every week."
Jeffries has taken the reins from back-to-back premiership-winning coach Ronald Griffiths, who stepped across to the Knights' NSW Cup side and this week announced he would be heading up the Warriors' NRLW squad from 2025, as Newcastle eye a threepeat of titles.
Some Knights players have already featured in two NSW Women's Premiership trial games and the focus of this weekend's outing will be to see what needs fine-tuning ahead of NRLW round one.
"It's not about flogging each other," Jeffries said.
"Yes, you want to be competitive but I'm not too concerned around the scoreline. I'm more concerned around some effort areas that we've talked about during the pre-season.
"Trials are trials, you need them but it's also to work out what you're good at and what you need to work on.
"We'll play 23 and there will be a few young ones there that should get plenty of time. I want them to play football."
Knights squad for NRLW trial match in Wagga Wagga:
1 Tamika Upton
2 Sheridan Gallagher
3 Shanice Parker
4 Abigail Roache
5 Isabella Waterman
6 Georgia Roche
7 Jesse Southwell
8 Tayla Predebon
9 Olivia Higgins
10 Caitlan Johnston-Green
11 Grace Kukutai
12 Yasmin Clydsdale
13 Hannah Southwell (c)
14 Nita Maynard
15 Kayla Romaniuk
16 Laishon Albert-Jones
17 Lilly-Ann White
18 Evie Jones
19 Evah McEwen
20 Jayde Herdegen
21 Jacinta Carter
22 Jess Gentle
23 Fane Finau