Match Preview: Pre-season Challenge vs Dragons
Wests Tigers will have their final pre-season hit out on Saturday against St George Illawarra Dragons in Mudgee, three weeks before the team’s first game in the Telstra Premiership.
Match: Dragons v Wests Tigers
Round 2 -
home Team
Dragons
9th Position
away Team
Wests Tigers
12th Position
Venue: Glen Willow Oval, Mudgee
Benji Marshall has named a 26-man squad, with what looks to be very close to the side he may choose for the Round 2 match against the Raiders on the 16th March in Canberra.
The team is very closely matched to that which started last weekend’s match against the Warriors in Christchurch, with the same spine and the same starting pack.
It has a new centre pairing with Justin Olam and Starford To’a playing their first games of the pre-season, Olam his first appearance for his new club.
Other than that, there are a couple of changes on the bench. Alex Twal will play his first match of the pre-season after being rested against the Warriors, as will 18-year-old utility Lachlan Galvin who has recovered from a calf strain.
It should be a great contest in the halves with two senior playmakers calling the shots in Aidan Sezer and Ben Hunt.
Both teams feature new faces in their #6 jerseys, in the shape of Jayden Sullivan and Kyle Flanagan. For Sullivan it will be his first game against his former club.
The Dragons are coming off a 28-6 Charity Shield defeat at the hands of the Rabbitohs last weekend.
The Red V have featured in eight clashes at Glen Willow Oval since the start of 2018, while this will be a first trip to the picturesque country town for Wests Tigers.
Key Timings:
Gates Open: 5.00pm
NSW Cup trial (5:30pm): St George Illawarra Dragons vs Wests Magpies
Pre-season Challenge (8:05pm): St George Illawarra Dragons vs Wests Tigers
