Navy team ready to take on Sharks

The Royal Australian Navy will be looking to square the ledger against the Albany Sharks when they travel for the second annual exhibition match on Saturday at Collingwood Park.

The inaugural match last year coincided with the Anzac centenary commemorations and attracted a strong crowd of about 500 to Collingwood Park.

The Sharks went on to win the match by 38 points, the first time the league side had tasted a win before their first premiership points in round 15 last season.

With hope of turning the match into an annual event, the Navy will return better prepared for the clash, according to team manager Matt Vaisey.

"This year we have done a fair bit of training for about six to eight weeks, so I would say as a team we are better prepared," he said.

The Navy team will be coached by Leading Seaman Simon Horner, who starred last year as the team's ruckman.

Sharks senior coach Alan Smallwood said the club's players had also been preparing for the match.

"Some guys want a break from footy and some are keen for the opportunity who didn't get it last year," he said. "There has been a fair bit of planning into this game, we have stayed in regular contact with the Navy.

"We have come up with an annual shield and we had to find another jumper design.

"It's important also we recognise and acknowledge Remembrance Day also."

Smallwood said the specially designed jumpers from the game would again be auctioned after the match with part proceeds donated to the Navy's charity Keeping Watch, which assists Navy families in need.

The match will start at 3pm at Collingwood Park.