Two of the least-Origin affected sides kick off Round 17 in Wollongong.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
St George Illawarra Dragons Vs New Zealand Warriors
Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Date: Friday June 23, 8:00pm
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Dragons: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Zac Lomax 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Jayden Sullivan 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Jacob Liddle 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Jack Bird 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Talatau Amone 15. Michael Molo 16. Ben Murdoch-Masila 17. Zane Musgrove 18. Jaiyden Hunt 19. Moses Mbye 20. Max Feagai 21. Toby Couchman 22. Billy Burns
Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Adam Pompey 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Luke Metcalf 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Bunty Afoa 11. Jackson Ford 12. Marata Niukore 13. Tohu Harris 14. Dylan Walker 15. Josh Curran 16. Bayley Sironen 17. Tom Ale 18. Freddy Lussick 20. Brayden Wiliame 21. Ronald Volkman 22. Kalani Going 23. Zyon Maiu’u
Referee: Adam Gee
Embed from Getty ImagesMATCHDAY PREVIEW
Thanks to last week’s bye, St George Illawarra have moved off the bottom of the table for the first time in a month. Off-field, the club keeps lurching from one problem to the next. Their lone State of Origin representative, captain Ben Hunt, has been named to back up following their Game II victory, just days after he declared he would pay $150,000 to leave the club immediately. Interim coach Ryan Carr has made a couple of changes to his team, with Jack Bird and Jack de Belin both named to return to the starting team, with Jaiyden Hunt dropping to 18th man and Josh Kerr departing for the Dolphins.
After a run of four losses in six weeks, the Warriors returned to their early-season form with big back-to-back wins over the Dolphins and Raiders leading into the bye. They’ve made two changes to the side that spoiled Jarrod Croker’s 300th game two weeks ago, with Rocco Berry returning to the side at centre in place of Ali Leiataua, Dylan Walker also returns from injury, replacing the suspended Mitch Barnett on the bench.
Historically, the Dragons have dominated matches between the two teams. They’ve won 24 of the 34 matches played between the two, including the past three straight. Prior to that, the Warriors won five straight between 2018 and 2021. The Warriors record in Wollongong is even worse, losing 11 of the 13 games they’ve played there, however they did break a 22-year losing streak in their last trip to WIN Stadium in 2018.
The Dragons have made close matches a habit in 2023, with 10 of their 14 matches decided by 14 points or less. Attack has been positive, thanks to the combination between Ben Hunt and the younger members of the spine, however defence has proved problematic, sitting 14th in terms of average points conceded. The Warriors sit have scored just six points fewer than the Dragons, however their defence has backed them up, with only the Broncos and Panthers conceding fewer points in 2023.
Jack de Belin will make his 200th first grade appearance, becoming the sixth St George Illawarra player to the feat. Josh Curran will also play his 50th first grade game for the Warriors.
LAST TEN MATCHES
Dragons 5, Warriors 5
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Warriors by 8 points.
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