NRL team announcement: Pre-season v St Helens
New signings Jacob Liddle, Ben Murdoch-Masila and Nick Lui-Toso will feature in the Dragons' first hit-out of 2023.
Saturday night's trial match against St Helens at WIN Stadium is set to kick off at 8:05pm.
- Five reasons to come and watch Saturday's trial
- Important ticketing information for Red V members
- Get all the info for the 2023 Charity Shield here
The line-up will also include some exciting young playmaking talent from within the Dragons system among the 28 players named to face the Super League champions.
Skipper Ben Hunt will be rested after a big off-season that included a World Cup win with the Kangaroos.
Jack De Belin (calf), Jack Bird (knee), Jaydn Su'A, Jayden Sullivan and Aaron Woods (all hamstring) will also sit out this game.
Batemans Bay product Treigh Stewart gets a chance to start at fullback with Tyrell Sloan on All Stars duty while the absence of Hunt, Bird, Sullivan and Talatau Amone means development list hooker Connor Muhleisen gets a chance to start in the halves alongside Moses Mbye.
The club's other three development players in forwards Josh Coric and Jackson Shereb plus winger Sione Finau all start from an extended bench. Train-and-triallists Haele Finau (hooker), Zac Herring (five-eighth), Jett Liu (prop), Alex Lobb (wing), Dylan Egan and Toby Couchman (both second row) also feature on the extended bench.
Ireland international Josh Cook has also joined the club from the Bulldogs on a train-and-trial contract and will feature on an extended bench.
NRL Team for pre-season Round 1 v St Helens
Saturday 11 February, 8:05pm.
Win Stadium, Wollongong
1. Treigh Stewart
2. Mathew Feagai
3. Moses Suli
4. Zac Lomax
5. Mikaele Ravalawa
6. Connor Muhleisen
7. Moses Mbye
17. Josh Coric
9. Jacob Liddle
10. Blake Lawrie
11. Ben Murdoch-Masila
12. William Burns
13. Jaiyden Hunt
Interchange:
14. Tautau Moga
15. Max Feagai
18. Nick Lui-Toso
19. Dan Russell
20. Haele Finau
21. Sione Finau
22. Alex Lobb
23. Savelio Tamale
24. Jackson Shereb
25. Joshua Cook
26. Toby Couchman
27. Zac Herring
28. Dylan Egan
29. Ryan Couchman
30. Aaron Johnson
Casualty Ward
Jack Bird (knee, round 2)
Aaron Woods (hamstring, Charity Shield)
Jack De Belin (calf, Charity Shield)
Jayden Sullivan (hamstring, Charity Shield)
Jaydn Su'A (hamstring, Charity Shield)
Cody Ramsey (illness, season)
Talatau Amone (stood down, indefinite)
