Coach Kim Williams was a happy man after the Rockhampton Leagues Club Capras’ first pre-season trial at the weekend.

The new-look Capras outfit took on a young Brisbane Broncos side in front of an enthusiastic 2500-strong crowd at the Theodore Showgrounds on Saturday night.

The Broncos ran out 16-6 winners in the game, played over four 20-minute quarters, but Williams was far from disappointed with the result.

Chanel Seigafo, who alternated between wing and centre, was the Capras’ best on ground and the left-edge combination of Jack Madden, Connor Broadhurst and Dave Cowhan looked ominous.

Starting front rowers Phil Nati and Brad Lupi also impressed in the absence of the experienced Oliver Percy and Peter Rogers, and certainly pressed their case for selection come Round 1 of the Intrust Super Cup in a month’s time.

Williams was particularly impressed with the resolve his players showed on Saturday, given that was an area that had plagued the team in the latter half of the 2017 season.

“I thought we were very good. I think we pretty well achieved all the things we wanted to achieve,” he said.

“We were good defensively. We dropped a little bit of ball early on but we defended against those errors really well.

“We showed we’re a lot tougher than we were in that back half of last year. We had to defend our line for long periods of time and we were able to do that.

“That was probably one of our worst features last year so we’ve improved in that area already and that’s a good sign.

“I don’t think any individual had a bad game. Everyone who got a run did their job and should be pretty pleased with their performance.

“The pleasing thing was the way we worked as a team. It’s something we’ve really focused on and there were some really good signs there on Saturday night.”

The Broncos scored in the fifth minute of the game, with Corey Allen crossing out wide on the back of a couple of repeat sets.

Williams said from there it became “a bit of an arm wrestle”, with the Capras levelling the score just before half-time when Nathan Bassani latched onto a well-placed kick to crash over.

The Broncos scored early in the second half, Allen crossing for his second try of the night off the back of a sleek backline movement to make it 10-6.

They claimed their third try when David Fifita pounced on a rebound to extend the lead to 10 points.

Williams said while there were a number of stoppages with penalties and while playing quarters certainly helped, the Capras fitness looked equal to that of their southern counterparts.

He was also pleased that his players were not overawed by the occasion and stuck to the game plan and their structures pretty well.

“It was a great night out there. The crowd was pretty big and all the earlier games were pretty entertaining,” he said.

“It was awesome and everyone involved did a fantastic job.”

The Capras’ next trial will be against the Townsville Blackhawks in Mackay this weekend, while the Broncos play the Titans in Toowoomba.

RUGBY LEAGUE: The Rockhampton Capras’ first trial game of 2018 will be a special one for Lachlan Norris.

The Theodore product will play his first senior game for the Capras against the iconic Brisbane Broncos in front of his home crowd.

The hard-working second rower is one of 13 debutants named in the Capras 22-man squad for the trial match, which will kick off at 6pm on Saturday at the Theodore Showgrounds.

The Broncos have named a young squad devoid of any it its big guns but there will be plenty of eyes on hulking teenager Payne Haas, who is making waves in rugby league circles.

The game will also give spectators a chance to get their first look at the Capras’ key recruits Jerry Key, Connor Broadhurst and Blake Goodman.

The team will be without experienced front rowers Oliver Percy and Peter Rogers, who are injured, but that provides an opportunity for Phil Nati and Brad Lupi to press their claims for selection for the opening round of the Intrust Super Cup.

Coach Kim Williams has tried to eliminate the Broncos factor from the minds of his players in preparation for the weekend clash.

“What we’re really focused on is our performance,” he said.

“The main thing we need to get out of it is just to see where we’re at in terms of our combinations and sticking to our game plan and structures.

“I’m not particularly interested in the score and I don’t want the players to be either. I just want them to focus on their job.

“It’s their first step to selection come Round 1 so they need to take that opportunity and I expect them to do so.”

The Capras-Broncos game will cap a full day of rugby league action at Theodore, which starts with a junior coaching clinic at 9am.

The Capras under-20s will play a curtain raiser against the Central Highlands rep team at 3.30pm.

Admission is $10 (13 years plus) after 11am and $5 before 11am, and tickets are available at the gate.

CAPRAS SQUAD

Zeik Foster, Junior Kirisome, Connor Broadhurst, Nathan Bassani, Chanel Seigafo, Blake Goodman, Jack Madden (captain), Phil Nati, Billy Gilbert, Brad Lupi, Dave Cowhan, Tyson White, Jerry Key, Aaron Teroi, Jamie Hill, Aaron Flanagan, Jyde Dwyer, Sonny Kerr, Lachlan Norris, Luke George, Jamie Minto, Sam Lollo

BRONCOS SQUAD

Jamayne Isaako, Corey Allan, Tom Opacic, Gehamat Shibasaki, Moses Pangai, Todd Murphy, Shaun Nona, George Fai, Jake Turpin, Payne Haas, Salesi Funaki, Andre Savelio, Patrick Mago. Interchange: Gerome Burns, David Fifita, Thomas Flegler, Patrick Carrigan, Myles Taueli, Keenan Palasia, Eddie Blacker, Kotoni Staggs