The 2026 NRL pre-season has arrived with Las Vegas bound teams the Dragons, Knights, Bulldogs and Cowboys naming their teams for the first trials of the season.
Star recruit Sandon will line up for the Knights for their clash with the Dragons, while Gordon Chan Kum Tong will start at hooker for the Bulldogs.
Read on for the NRL Teams for Trials Week 1.
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WEEK 1 (Times in AEDT)
Bulldogs vs. Cowboys, Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, 5:30pm
Bulldogs team: 1. Taye Cochrane 2. Cooper Toy 3. Sosaia Alatini 4. Jed Reardon 5. Jonathan Sua 6. Joseph Teaupa 7. Alex Conti 8. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 9. Gordon Chan Kum Tong 10. Samuel Hughes 11. Alekolasimi Jones 12. Logan Spinks 13. Lipoi Hopoi 14. Fletcher Baker 16. Zyon Maiu’u 17. Aaymon Fitzgibbon 19. Jack Underhill 20. Raymond Puru 21. Hamish Wilson 22. Jope Rauqe 23. Michael Nassar 24. Justin Matamua 25. Bud Smith 26. Bailey Myers
Analysis: As predicted the Bulldogs have decided to rest their NRL stars and instead showcase a lot of the younger players in their squad. Only seven members have played a single first-grade match, while rookie halfback Mitchell Woods has not been named after sustaining a hamstring injury. Ones to watch on Saturday include Under-19s Queensland fullback Raymond Puru and Aaymon Fitzgibbon, the son of Craig Fitzgibbon who arrived at the club in the pre-season from the Dragons.
Cowboys team: 1. Mason Barber 2. Robert Derby 3. Zac Laybutt 4. Liam Sutton 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Jaxon Purdue 7. Jake Clifford 8. Harrison Edwards 9. Xavier Kerrisk 10. Thomas Mikaele 11. Heilum Luki 12. Kai O’Donnell 13. Sam McIntyre 14. Zac Herdegen 15. Kaiden Lahrs 16. Mason Kira 17. Matthew Watts 18. Creedence Toia 19. Ronald Philitoga 20. Maddox Goodwin 21. Wiremu Greig 22. Tyler Moriarty 23. Joseph Doyle 24. Isaiah Latu
Analysis: The Cowboys have selected a mixture of NRL players and young guns in their squad. Jaxon Purdue and Jake Clifford will lead the team in attack from the halves, while 2024 Australian Schoolboys fullback Mason Barber has been named in the No.1 jersey after missing the entirety of last season due to injury. Heilum Luki makes his return from injury on Saturday, while Robert Derby, Zac Laybutt and Jaxson Paulo will look to have a strong game to push for a regular spot in the starting team come Round 1.
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‘Only question is where Sharpe fits in’ | 06:14
Dragons vs. Knights, Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, 7:30pm
Dragons team: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Christian Tuipulotu 3. David Fale 4. Mathew Feagai 5. Setu Tu 6. Lyhkan King-Togia 7. Kade Reed 8. Josh Kerr 9. Haele Finau 10. Toby Couchman 11. Ryan Couchman 12. Jacob Halangahu 13. Hame Sele 14. Tyler Peckham-Harris 15. Charles Heidke 16. Hayden Buchanan 17. Nicholas Tsougranis 18. Joseph O’Neill 19. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga 20. Isaiah Fagalilo 21. Blake Lawrie 22. Dylan Coutts 23. Cyrus Stanley-Traill 24. Ryan Hutchinson
Analysis: The Dragons have made a strong squad as they look to turn around their fortunes in 2026 but recruit Daniel Atkinson is a surprising absence. Instead, Shane Flanagan has decided to choose Lyhkan King-Togia and Kade Reed as his halves pairing. Tyrell Sloan returns to the fullback position as his future at the club remains clouded. Meanwhile, Haele Finau will start at hooker due to a hamstring injury to Jacob Liddle. Recruits David Fale, Setu Tu and Joseph O’Neill have all been named to feature.
Knights team: 1. Fletcher Hunt 2. James Schiller 3. Kyle McCarthy 4. Wilson De Courcey 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Fletcher Sharpe 7. Sandon Smith 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Harrison Graham 10. Trey Mooney 11. Thomas Cant 12. Jermaine McEwen 13. Tyson Frizell 14. Tyson Gamble 15. Mathew Croker 16. Matthew Arthur 17. Pasami Saulo 18. Brodie Jones 19. Cody Hopwood 20. Connor Votano 21. Sosaia Latu 22. Asu Kepaoa 23. Logan Aoake 24. Matthew Hunter 25. Peter Hola 26. Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana 27. Francis Manuleleua 28. Lachlan Crouch
Analysis: The Knights will be without all their international players on Saturday including Kalyn Ponga, Bradman Best and highly-prized signing Dylan Brown. The absence of Brown will allow Fletcher Sharpe and Sandon Smith to play in the halves alongside each other as they contend with each other to join Brown in the halves for Round 1. Tyson Gamble has also been named and should get some game time. Players to watch include junior standouts Sosaia Latu, Wilson De Courcey, Logan Aoake and Matthew Hunter from the Eels.
“More Difficult if Fogarty stayed” | 01:12
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