Rugby league is back! On Thursday evening, the newly-named pre-season challenge will kick-off with the New Zealand Warriors set to take on the Wests Tigers in Auckland.
The 17 NRL clubs - including new entrant the Dolphins - will be joined by St Helens over the next two weeks for the pre-season challenge, with $100,000 in prize money available per team.
All squads are allowed to name up to 28 players this weekend, and 26 players next weekend with the name of the game still to get ready for the season proper, which kicks off in the first week of March.
Set to the backdrop of looming strike action over the non-negotiation collective bargaining agreement, this weekend will also feature the men's and women's All Stars, meaning we will have 11 games to be played between Thursday night and Sunday afternoon.
The pre-season challenge games will feature rules designed to favour attacking rugby league, with teams able to accumulate competition points through the following methods:
12 points for a win
6 points for a draw
1 bonus point for 5 or more tries
1 bonus point for 5 or more line breaks
1 bonus point for 10 or more offloads
Here are the teams and officials for all of the Week 1 fixtures.
Men's All Stars match
Kick-off: Saturday, February 11, 3:45pm (AEDT)
Venue: Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Men's Maori All Stars
1. Hayze Perham, 2. Morgan Harper, 3. Jesse Arthars, 4. Adam Pompey, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Zach Dockar-Clay, 7. Paul Turner, 8. James Fisher-Harris, 9. Corey Harawira-Naera, 10. Royce Hunt, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Jordan Riki, 13. Joseph Tapine
Interchange: 14. Zane Musgrove, 15. Leo Thompson, 16. Tukimihia Simpkins, 17. Austin Dias, 18. Sheldon Puitama 19. Creedence Toia 20. Preston Riki
Men's Indigenous All Stars
1. Latrell Mitchell, 2. Selwyn Cobbo, 3. Jack Wighton, 4. Brent Naden, 5. Tyrell Sloan, 6. Cody Walker, 7. Nicho Hynes, 8. Josh Kerr, 9. Kierran Moseley, 10. Shaquai Mitchell, 11. Tyrell Fuimaono, 18. Ryan James, 13. J'maine Hopgood
Interchange: 12. Tyrone Peachey, 14. Albert Kelly, 15. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, 16. Daine Laurie, 17. Isaiah Tass, , 19. Braydon Trindall, 20. Bailey Butler
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