The Dragons will be looking to hit the ground running after a first round, but they will face a tough test against a Titans side who opened their season in style at Leichhardt Oval.
Having missed the final for the past four seasons, the Dragons need to get off to a good start and then regain the consistency that eluded them for much of 2022 until they end the year with three wins in a row.
One of those wins came against the Titans at WIN Stadium in round 23 when they racked up 46 points, their season-high.
The Titans were able to regroup and win their last two games before building on that momentum in the pre-season challenge where they put 40 points over the Dolphins and then the season opener against the Wests Tigers (22-10 ).
With star signing Kieran Foran feeding David Fifita on the left edge and full-back AJ Brimson still in support, the Titans offense looked strong and they’ll be craving their chances against a Dragons defense that lost 72 points in his two Pre-Season Challenge games.
The Dragons will again rely heavily on skipper Ben Hunt to provide direction and composure in attack and Tyrell Sloan and Mat Feagai to spark the spark.
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Team News
Dragoons: Jack Bird has recovered from a knee injury and will start at the lock but Jack de Belin (calf) remains on the sidelines. Skipper Ben Hunt is partnered in half-time by youngster Jayden Sullivan with veteran Moses Mbye at hooker and Jacob Liddle coming off the bench. Teenager Toby Couchman will make his NRL debut on the bench, alongside Zane Musgrove, Michael Molo and Liddle. The NRL confirmed on Tuesday that the no-fault stoppage condition no longer applies to Talatau Amone and that he has been added to the Dragons’ extended bench.
Titans: No changes to the side that beat the Wests Tigers with five-eighth Kieran Foran named to play despite a swollen knee at Leichhardt Oval. Toby Sexton was named as a reserve in case Foran did not show up.
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Stat Attack
- The Dragons have won three of their last four games at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
- Dragons winger Mat Feagai has scored four tries in five games at Netstrata Jubilee.
- Titans center Phillip Sami scored three tries in three games at Kogarah.
- The Titans had the fifth-most tackle breaks in the NRL in 2022 behind big guns the Sharks, Panthers, Storm and Roosters. The Titans had 882 tackle breaks to the Dragons’ 751.
- Dragons center Zac Lomax needs five goals to score 200 career NRL goals.
Statistics provided by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
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