Official Strong squad named for Sharks trial

Spoonman84

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The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have announced a strong 23-man squad for this weekend’s trial against the Cronulla Sharks in Papua New Guinea on Saturday February 22.

The Port Moresby clash with the Sharks kicks off at 5.30pm local time (6.30pm AEDT) and will be the first time two NRL clubs have played a trial in PNG.

Coach Dean Pay has named new recruits Joe Stimson and Dean Britt to start in the backrow, while Tongan International Sione Katoa, having arrived at the club from the Penrith Panthers over the summer, will wear the number nine jersey.

Lachlan Lewis and Jack Cogger will start in the six and seven jersey’s, with fellow halves Brandon Wakeham and Bailey Biondi-Odo also included in Pay’s team.

The squad features 12 players backing up from last weekend’s NRL Nines tournament, as well as three of the club’s development players – Tui Katoa, James Roumanos and Matt Doorey.

Will Hopoate has been named at fullback with Dallin Watene-Zeleznaik in camp with the Maori All Stars, while rookies Jake Averillo and Morgan Harper will join Reimis Smith and Jayden Okunbor as the starting wing and centre pairings.

Experienced forwards Aiden Tolman and Dylan Napa will also take to the field, as well as talented backrower Jackson Topine who led the New South Wales under 18s and Australian Schoolboy teams last season.

The match will be played at Port Moresby’s $88 million international-quality, 15,000-seat National Football stadium and the team will touch down in PNG a few days before the match to help promote social inclusion, participation, equality, health and well-being.

The full travelling squad is:
1. Will Hopoate

2. Jayden Okunbor

3. Reimis Smith

4. Morgan Harper

5. Jake Averillo

6. Lachlan Lewis

7. Jack Cogger

8. Renouf To’omaga

9. Sione Katoa

10. Dylan Napa

11. Joe Stimson

12. Dean Britt

13. Aiden Tolman

14. Brandon Wakeham

15. Ofahiki Ogden

16. Tui Katoa

17. Isaiah Tass

19. Bailey Biondi-Odo

20. Matt Doorey

21. James Roumanos

22. Kerrod Holland

23. Jackson Topine

24. Kayne Kalache

https://www.bulldogs.com.au/news/2020/02/18/strong-squad-named-for-sharks-trial/
 

Spoonman84

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No mention of streaming the game. Its not looking very positive that we will be able to watch it.
 

DinkumDog

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Interesting balance of some experience and looking forward to seeing the young fellas get a run in an 80min game.

- Tols at 13!
- Averillo may mean Meaney is injured.
 

bradyk

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No mention of streaming the game. Its not looking very positive that we will be able to watch it.
They were streamed on NRL.com last season. Hopefully it's the same this year.
 

KiwiDog7

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Meaney must be injured as not named at all
 

Spoonman84

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Sharks are sending their reggies side.

Bill Magoulias

William Kennedy

Brock Gray

Jonaiah Lualua

Ronaldo Mulitalo

Franklin Pele

Jackson Ferris

Teig Wilton

Royce Hunt

Kyle Paterson

Tom Hazelton

Connor Tracey

Cameron King

Sione Katoa

Wesley Lolo

Vito Tevaga

Lorenzo Mulitalo

Kayleb Milne

Braydon Trindall

Scott Sorensen

Siosifa Talakai

Toby Rudolf

Connor Luhan
 

Raysie

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Bottom of the webpage confirms no streaming available.

Okunbor needs to make up for his shit display at the NRL Nines. Interested to see how Britt, Stimson and Katoa in particular goes.
 

Natboy

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Could be an issue with bandwidth in PNG? Unless there’s some sort of regulatory issue stopping it...

At least we’ll get to see the Raiders game.
Sounds like it mate. I know our government are loaning them money to get electricity to most houses in the next few years
 

Spoonman84

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Could be an issue with bandwidth in PNG? Unless there’s some sort of regulatory issue stopping it...

At least we’ll get to see the Raiders game.
Paying for the flights for someone to set it up over there probably wouldn't be worth it either.
 

Delta

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If we don't thrash them that would be concerning (18+ win).
 

Suave

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Glad they’re obviously considering Tolman as a lock moving forward. It’s the most obvious fit for him. He doesn’t offer great impact as a prop taking a hit up to start off a set and the lack of impact he has also makes him a waste on the bench. BUT you can’t deny the defensive clean up he offers so he can do that at lock and take hit ups here and there without having the pressure of starting off sets with big metres.

Fingers crossed Toomaga kills it starting and it continues into the season proper. Just a shame we’re playing a second string sharks side.
 

Spoonman84

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Whats doing with BBO and Topine getting named and Tyrone Harding and Sebastian Winters-Chang missing out?

Some of those development contract decisions are weird to say the least.

Just to clarify this isn't a shot at BBO and Topine getting a run its more about the other two getting contracts.
 

CrittaMagic69

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Very happy with the squad we're sending over, not the lineup I'd choose but happy to see how things go.
 

Delta

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Glad they’re obviously considering Tolman as a lock moving forward. It’s the most obvious fit for him. He doesn’t offer great impact as a prop taking a hit up to start off a set and the lack of impact he has also makes him a waste on the bench. BUT you can’t deny the defensive clean up he offers so he can do that at lock and take hit ups here and there without having the pressure of starting off sets with big metres.

Fingers crossed Toomaga kills it starting and it continues into the season proper. Just a shame we’re playing a second string sharks side.
Yeah definitely... not every team will have a top tier ball playing lock like a Trbojevic, Murray, Arrow etc. No point masquerading Elliott or C.Smith as ball playing lock when really they are anything but that. Might as well use another prop that can really lock down the defense in the middle of the field - Smith in particular was quite bad at this.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this earlier, but last year I went to Bulldogs training just to have a look and saw them doing goal line attack drills and Tolman wasn't in the twenty, he was standing way back talking to Pay.
 

flamebouyant

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Glad they’re obviously considering Tolman as a lock moving forward. It’s the most obvious fit for him. He doesn’t offer great impact as a prop taking a hit up to start off a set and the lack of impact he has also makes him a waste on the bench. BUT you can’t deny the defensive clean up he offers so he can do that at lock and take hit ups here and there without having the pressure of starting off sets with big metres.

Fingers crossed Toomaga kills it starting and it continues into the season proper. Just a shame we’re playing a second string sharks side.
He should have been moved to lock last year, or even the year before. We need some more powerful front towers hitting it up every second carry, and let tols do the dirty work. It's a good fit imo.
 
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