This took place earlier tonight on BBC Radio Manchester.

5 pools were drawn by Northern Rail's Heidi Mottram. Four teams consisted pools A, B and C with three in both D and E.

Pool A: Swinton, Rochdale, Blackpool, Dewsbury.

Pool B: Batley, Keighley, Hunslet, Doncaster.

Pool C: London Skolars, Leigh, Gateshead, York.

Pool D: Whitehaven, Workington, Featherstone.

Pool E: Oldham, Sheffield, Halifax.

The top two teams in Pools A, B and C, in addition to the top teams from pools D and E will progress from the group stages on Saturday to the Northern Rail 9's Trophy on Sunday.

All other teams will compete for the Northern Rail 9's Plate on Sunday with the games being played as curtain raiser to the Northern Rail Cup Final between Widnes and Barrow.

Thought the matches were taking place at Panthers ground .....with only the trophy & plate finals being played as the NRC final 'curtain raisers'?.....or that's what I thought they said on GMR last night!!

We might see Nicky Stanton get a decent run at the try line

TBH does anybody really care

With less players to defend we also might get 100 past us

Do we really want to be risking the likes of Stanton in this Mickey Mouse comp?????

Preferably not, but I dare say the RFL will insist on strong sides being fielded.

Hardly the type of group to make me want to attend, especially as Gateshead will tonk us (again)

The RFL are insisting full strength squads apparently

We don't appear to have one

Don't forget that proper match day tickets for the 9's are on sale at the ticket office.

You get a ticket for each day of the event as part of the package, and they can also be "upgraded" to NRC Final tickets.

Prices are £9 Adult, and £5 Concession.

All money taken on these tickets goes to the club.

Well from looking at recent results Leigh may need to field a full strength 13

How long do nines matches last?