Parramatta coach Steve Kearney is yet to decide who’ll take on kicking duties for the Eels, with Chris Sandow and Luke Burt to battle it out ahead of the start of the 2012 NRL season.
Burt has been the Eels’ regular kicker for over a decade, establishing himself as one of the best in the game with a 82.7 per cent success rate last season.
However, the arrival of Sandow from South Sydney has put his kicking position under pressure.
The diminutive halfback booted 84.5 per cent of his goals in 2011 and has a success rate of 81.4 per cent for his career with Burt trailing behind with a record of 77.1 per cent.
Both are likely to be given the opportunity to stake their claim in Saturday’s trial clash with Wests Tigers at Gosford.
“We are fortunate to have two great kickers available to us but I haven’t made up my mind yet,” Kearney said.
“Chris was almost 85 per cent last year and Luke in the low 80s also, so we’ll just see how we go.”
Burt’s involvement at Bluetongue Stadium against the Tigers could be limited after he hobbled out of training with a hamstring strain on Wednesday.
Kearney played down the significance of the 32-year-old’s early departure from the session and the absence of skipper Nathan Hindmarsh.
“These guys are at the 30-plus mark and it’s just a case of that, nothing more than that,” he said.
However, the New Zealand Test coach was more forthcoming about an injury to utility Reni Maitua that’ll see him miss the season opener against Brisbane on March 2.
“Reni has a bit of an injury,” Kearney said.
“He had ankle surgery and that has been disappointing for him, but he will hopefully be back soon.”
Eels prop Justin Poore says he’ll use the new season to honour the club’s strength and conditioning coach Sean Burns, who died late last month.
Burns’ death rocked the club and Poore admits he and his team-mates are still coming to terms with the loss.
“It’s been tough, he’ll be fondly remembered by us all,” said Poore, who paid tribute to the contribution Burns made to his career.
The former St George Illawarra and NSW front rower credits Burns, whose funeral was on Monday, for getting him fit for the start of the new campaign for the first time since arriving from the Dragons in 2010 following a long-standing knee problem.
“He was so helpful to me and instilled confidence that I’d never thought I’d get back,” Poore said.
“I owe him a lot and want to show that I can achieve the goals he set for me for this season.”
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