NRL Line Up for Round 8: ANZAC Day Cup vs Dragons

Updated NRL Line Up for Round 8: Anzac Cup vs Dragons

Author: Sydney Roosters
Timestamp: Mon 24 Apr 2023, 04:05 PM

UPDATE: Trent Robinson has confirmed his 19-man squad to face the St George Illawarra Dragons at Allianz Stadium on Anzac Day.

One change has been made to the line-up, with Naufahu Whyte named to replace Terrell May on the interchange bench.

Corey Allan and Nathan Brown have been confirmed as the 18th and 19th players respectively, with Jake Turpin and Sam Walker dropping out of the side.

The final team will be confirmed one hour prior to kick-off tomorrow at 3:05pm.

Originally published Tuesday April 18 at 4:00pm

The Sydney Roosters are delighted to welcome Members and fans back to Allianz Stadium for one of the grandest occasions on the rugby league calendar, our XXII annual ANZAC Day Cup match with the St George Illawarra Dragons.

The two clubs have competed for the ANZAC Day Cup on our most important national day since 2002, with the exception of the 2020 season, where the Roosters and Dragons played for the Cup on August 6, to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Lone Pine.

The Roosters will pay tribute to the Eastern Suburbs sides of 1944-1946 by wearing the Bondi Blue coloured Wartime Jersey, designed to represent the Club’s proud history while serving as a symbol of wartime hardships and on-field success.

The jersey is a replica of the one worn when the Club was forced to abandon the famous Tricolours design as a result of wartime rationing and instead wore the Bondi Blue, a colour now engrained the Club’s DNA.

Tuesday’s proceedings commence at 1:30pm when the gates to Allianz Stadium open, with the curtain-raising ANZAC Day Commemorative Test Match between the Australian Defence Force and Australian Fire Fighters kicking off at 1:50pm.

The ANZAC Ceremony will commence at 3:30pm, with parachuters delivering the match ball before the Ode, the Last Post, the Rouse and Australian and New Zealand National anthems are played, with the Roosters and Dragons NRL Game set to commence at 4:05pm.

Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has made significant changes to his line-up this week as the team prepares to face the St George Illawarra Dragons on Tuesday April 25.

Angus Crichton, Sitili Tupouniua and Paul Momirovski have been named to make their first-grade return, while Jaxson Paulo will celebrate his 50th NRL game milestone.

James Tedesco leads the side as fullback and captain, with the five-time Jack Gibson Medallist set to play in his sixth ANZAC Day Cup match.

Daniel Tupou, who is just three tries away from becoming the Roosters’ all-time greatest try-scorer lines up on the wing again this week, joining Jaxson Paulo who is set to play his 50th NRL game. While Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Paul Momirovski will be the centre pairing for Round 8.

After scoring two tries in the Roosters’ most recent win over the Dragons, New Zealand International Joseph Manu will don the number 6 jersey on ANZAC Day, joining Luke Keary in the halves combination.

Tuesday marks starting prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves’ 12th ANZAC Day game, his 13th playing for the ANZAC Cup against the Dragons. Meanwhile Brandon Smith, who will start at hooker, will play his first ANZAC Day match wearing the Red, White and Bondi Blue. Lindsay Collins completes the front row, wearing the number 10 jersey.

Crossing the stripe for the first time in 2023 last week, Egan Butcher has been named to start in the second row, joining Australian International and NSW Blues representative Angus Crichton, who will make his NRL return on ANZAC Day. Victor Radley completes the starting 13 at lock.

After completing full rehabilitation for an ACL injury and scoring the opening try in the North Sydney Bears’ win over the Rabbitohs last weekend, Robinson has called on Sitili Tupouniua to make his NRL return, coming off the bench. Drew Hutchison, Terrell May and Matt Lodge join the Tongan International on the interchange.

The extended squad features Corey Allan, Nathan Brown, Naufahu Whyte, Jake Turpin and Sam Walker.

The full NRL squad named to play the St George Illawarra Dragons at Allianz Stadium on ANZAC Day is as follows:

Round 8 - Round 8 - Tuesday 25 Apr

Full Time

Roosters

Dragons

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Roosters is number 1 James Tedesco

Fullback for Dragons is number 1 Tyrell Sloan
Winger for Roosters is number 2 Daniel Tupou

Winger for Dragons is number 2 Mathew Feagai
Centre for Roosters is number 3 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii

Centre for Dragons is number 3 Mosese Suli
Centre for Roosters is number 4 Paul Momirovski

Centre for Dragons is number 4 Zac Lomax
Winger for Roosters is number 5 Jaxson Paulo

Winger for Dragons is number 5 Tautau Moga
Five-Eighth for Roosters is number 6 Joseph Manu

Five-Eighth for Dragons is number 6 Talatau Amone
Halfback for Roosters is number 7 Luke Keary

Halfback for Dragons is number 7 Ben Hunt

Forwards

Prop for Roosters is number 8 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

Prop for Dragons is number 10 Blake Lawrie
Hooker for Roosters is number 9 Brandon Smith

Hooker for Dragons is number 9 Moses Mbye
Prop for Roosters is number 10 Lindsay Collins

Prop for Dragons is number 15 Michael Molo
2nd Row for Roosters is number 11 Egan Butcher

2nd Row for Dragons is number 11 Ben Murdoch-Masila
2nd Row for Roosters is number 12 Angus Crichton

2nd Row for Dragons is number 12 Jack Bird
Lock for Roosters is number 13 Victor Radley

Lock for Dragons is number 13 Jack De Belin

Interchange

Interchange for Roosters is number 14 Drew Hutchison

Interchange for Dragons is number 14 Jacob Liddle
Interchange for Roosters is number 16 Sitili Tupouniua

Interchange for Dragons is number 16 Toby Couchman
Interchange for Roosters is number 17 Matthew Lodge

Interchange for Dragons is number 17 Josh Kerr
Interchange for Roosters is number 20 Naufahu Whyte

Interchange for Dragons is number 18 Jaiyden Hunt