DONCASTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 23: Danny Levi of Samoa during Rugby League World Cup 2021 Pool A match between Samoa and Greece at Keepmoat Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Doncaster, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
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.
Kick-off: Thursday, February 9, 6pm (AEDT)
Venue: Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Referee: Belinda Sharpe
1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Marcelo Montoya 3. Brayden Wiliame 4. Viliami Vailea 5. Edward Kosi 6. Luke Metcalf 7. Te Maire Martin 8. Bunty Afoa 9. Freddy Lussick 10. Tom Ale 11. Jackson Ford 12. Demitric Sifakula 13. Michael Sio
Interchange: 14. Maiu'u Zyon 15. Sanele Aukusitino 16. Ali Leiataua 17. Jacob Laban 18. Moala Graham-Taufa 20. Kalani Going 21. Eiden Ackland 22. Ben Farr 23. Isaiah Vagana 24. Solomon Vasuvulagi 25. Paul Roache
1. Charlie Staines 2. Junior Tupou 3. Asu Kepaoa 4. Tommy Talau 5. Liam Scolari 6. Triston Reilly 7. Brandon Wakeham 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Jake Simpkin 23. Alex Seyfarth 11. Brandon Tumeth 12. Fonua Pole 13. Justin Matamua
Interchange: 10. Aistasi James 14. Jahream Bula 15. Jordan Hill 16. Trey Peni 17. Josh Feledy 18. Christopher Faagutu 19. Sione Vaihu 20. Zane Camroux 21. Sione Fainu 22. Ruatapu Ngatikaura 24. Tanous Sukkar
Kick-off: Friday, February 10, 5:55pm (AEDT)
Venue: Industree Group Stadium, Gosford
Referee: Kasey Badger
1. Bailey Hodgson 2. Hymel Hunt 3. Krystian Mapapalangi 4. Dylan Lucas 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Jacob Saifiti 16. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 12. Jack Johns 13. Kurt Mann
Interchange: 11. Brodie Jones 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. John Toleafoa 17. David Hollis 18. Adam Clune 19. Ben Talty 20. Thomas Cant 21. David Armstrong 22. Toni Tupouniua 23. Riley Jones 24. Ryan Rivett 25 Chris Vea'ila 26. Luke Pietzner 27. Oryn Keeley 28. Kiah Cooper
1. Daniel Atkinson 2. Thomas Rodwell 3. Mawene Hiroti 4. Kayal Iro 5. Samuel Stonestreet 6. Wade Graham 7. Niwhai Puru 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Jayden Berrell 10. Braden Hamlin-Uele 11. Teig Wilton 12. Jesse Colquhoun 13. Jack Williams
Interchange: 14. Cameron McInnes 15. Joshua Finau 16. Thomas Hazelton 17. Max Bradbury 18. Lachlan Crouch 19. Henry O'Kane 20. Samuel Healey 21. Jacob Gagan 22. Blake Hosking 23. Max Riolo 24. Manaia Waitere 25. Oregon Kaufusi 26. Kobie Wilson
Kick-off: Friday, February 10, 8pm (AEDT)
Venue: Industree Group Stadium, Gosford
Referee: Todd Smith
1. Blake Taaffe, 2. Richie Kennar, 3. Josiah Karapani, 4. Jacob Gagai, 5. Leon Te Hau, 6. Dion Teaupa, 7. Jarrett Subloo, 8. Hame Sele, 9. Peter Mamouzelos, 10. Davvy Moale, 11. Michael Chee-Kam, 12. Jacob Host (c), 13. Tallis Duncan
Interchange: 14. Terrell Kalo Kalo, 15. Ethan O'Neill, 16. Ben Lovett, 17. Louis Grossemy, 18. Romano Cook, 19. Jaxson Rahme, 20. Tom Carr 21. Shannon Gardiner, 22. Leonard Skelton, 23. Hugo Patterson, 24. Brock Gray
1. Jake Toby 2. Christian Tuipulotu 3. Jackson Ferris 4. Fletcher Myers 5. Ray Tuaimalo-Vaega 6. Cooper Johns 7. Jamie Humphreys 8. Toafofoa Sipley 9. Gordon Chan Kum Tong 10. Ben Condon 11. Ben Trbojevic 12. Samuela Fainu 13. Ethan Bullemor
Interchange: 14. Harradyn Wilson 15. Zac Fulton 16. Cameron Brown 17. Viliami Fifita 18. Jacob Sykes 19. Charlie Thompson 20. Joshua Stuckey 21. Dean Matterson 22. James Uesele 23. Joey Tramontana
Kick-off: Saturday, February 11, 6pm (AEDT)
Venue: BlueBet Stadium, Penrith
Referee: Wyatt Raymond
1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Jesse Mclean 3. Sunia Turuva 4. Thomas Jenkins 5. Daeon Amituanai 6. Kurt Falls 7. Jack Cogger 8. Lindsay Smith 9. Luke Sommerton 10. Liam Henry 11. Jaeman Salmon 12. Zac Hosking 13. Matthew Eisenhuth
Interchange: 14. Connor Mason 15. Ativalu Lisati 16. Mavrik Geyer 17. Harrison Hassett 18. John Faiumu 19. Hanna El-Nachar 20. Sunita Lotoaniu 21. Liam Ison 22. Jake Tago 23. Logan Cohen 24. Ryley Smith 25. Trent Toelau 26. Cody Lawson 27. Luke Philp 28. Atonio Pelesasa
1. Sean Russell 2. Matthew Komolafe 3. Samuel Loizou 4. Zac Cini 5. Isaac Lumelume 6. Jordan Rankin 7. Jakob Arthur 8. Ofahiki Ogden 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Ky Rodwell 11. Shaun Lane 12. Jirah Momoisea 13. Ryan Matterson
Interchange: 14. Matt Doorey 15. Mitch Rein 16. Wiremu Greig 17. Makahesi Makatoa 18. Toni Mataele 19. Jayden Yates 20. Dan Keir 21. Luca Moretti 22. Tevita Taumoepenu 23. Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa
Kick-off: Saturday, February 11, 8:05pm (AEDT)
Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Referee: Liam Kennedy
1. Treigh Stewart 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Zac Lomax 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Connor Muhleisen 7. Moses Mbye 17. Joshua Coric 9. Jacob Liddle 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Ben Murdoch-Masila 12. Billy Burns 13. Jaiyden Hunt
Interchange: 14. Tautau Moga 15. Max Feagai 18. Nick Lui-Toso 19. Dan Russell 20. Haele Finau 21. Sione Finau 22. Alexander Lobb 23. Savelio Tamale 24. Jackson Shereb 25. Joshua Cook 26. Toby Couchman 27. Zac Herring 28. Dylan Egan 29. Ryan Couchman 30. Aaron Johnson
1. Jack Welsby 2. Tommy Makinson 23. Konrad Hurrell 4. Mark Percival 3. Will Hopoate 6. Jonny Lomax 7. Lewis Dodd 8. Alex Walmsley 9. James Roby 10. Matty Lees 11. Sione Mata'utia 12. Joe Batchelor 19. James Bell
Interchange: 5. Jonathan Bennison 13. Morgan Knowles 14. Joey Lussick 15. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook 16. Curtis Sironen 17. Agnatius Paasi 18. Jake Wingfield 20. Daniel Norman 21. Ben Davies 22. Sam Royle 24. Lewis Baxter
Kick-off: Sunday, February 11, 1:50pm (AEDT)
Venue: GMHBA Stadium, Geelong
Referee: Chris Sutton
1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. Will Warbrick 15. Young Tonumaipea 4. Justin Olam 5. Dean Ieremia 6. Tyran Wishart 7. Jonah Pezet 13. Josh King 9. Bronson Garlick 16. Jordan Grant 11. Joe Chan 17. Eliesa Katoa 12. Chris Lewis
Interchange: 3. Reimis Smith 10. Christian Welch 14. Ammaron Gudgeon 18. Jayden Nikorima 19. Keagan Russell-Smith 20. Cole Geyer 21. Grant Anderson 22. Angus Hinchey 23. Lazarus Vaalepu 24. Kane Bradley 25. Charlie Murray 26. Joshua Patston 27. Scott Galeano 28. Max Lehmann
1. Ethan King 28. Tuipulotu Katoa 20. William Fakatoumafi 4. Junior Pauga 25. Vuate Karawalevu 16. Jake Turpin 26. Sandon Smith 15. Fletcher Baker 21. Thomas Deakin 22. Tuku Hau Tapuha 27. Elie El-Zakham 12. Siua Wong 19. Ben Thomas
Interchange: 2. Alfred Smalley 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Drew Hutchison 7. Sam Walker 9. Brandon Smith 10. Matthew Lodge 11. Egan Butcher 13. Victor Radley 17. Terrell May 18. Kurt De Luis 23. Xavier Va'a 24. Tyler Moriarty
Kick-off: Sunday, February 11, 3:55pm (AEDT)
Venue: Ack Weyman Oval, Moruya
Referee: Peter Gough
1. Xavier Savage 17. James Schiller 2. Albert Hopoate 3. Jarrod Croker 5. Elijah Anderson 6. Matt Frawley 7. Brad Schneider 8. Ata Mariota 9. Danny Levi 10. Emre Guler 11. Clay Webb 12. Trey Mooney 13. Corey Horsburgh
Interchange: 4. Brad Morkos 14. Zac Woolford 15. Pasami Saulo 16. Jordan Martin 18. Hohepa Puru 19. Jed Stuart 20. Joshua Allen 21. Michael Asomua 22. Peter Hola 23. Ethan Strange 24. Loghan Lewis, 25. Mitchell Spencer, 26. Josh James, 27. Lachlan Lewis, 28. Ray Burns
1. Braidon Burns 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Jake Averillo 4. Paul Alamoti 21. Jayden Okunbor 6. Josh Reynolds 7. Kyle Flanagan 8. Luke Thompson 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Max King 11. Jacob Preston 12. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 13. Ryan Sutton
Interchange: 16. Andrew Davey 17. Corey Waddell 19. Jeral Skelton 20. Jackson Topine 22. Bailey Hayward 23. Harrison Edwards 24. Khaled Rajab 25. Jayden Tanner 26. Kurtis Morrin 27. Blake Wilson 28. Joash Papalii 29. Ryan Gray 30. Franklin Pele 31. Brandon Clarke 32. Eli Clark
Kick-off: Sunday, February 12, 6pm (AEDT)
Venue: Barlow Park, Cairns
Referee: Ziggy Prseklasa-Adamski
1. Tom Chester 2. Laitia Moceidreke 3. Gehamat Shibasaki 4. Brendan Elliot 5. Robert Derby 6. Ben Hampton 7. Tom Duffy 8. Taniela Sadrugu 9. Kyle Schneider 10. James Tamou 11. Jack Gosiewski 15. Sylvester Namo 13. Riley Price
Interchange: 14. D'jazirhae Pua'avase 16. Emarly Bitugane 17. Julian Christian 18. Jordan Lipp 19. Zac Laybutt 20. Adam Cook 21. Jake Bourke 22. Jai Hansen 23. Ewan Moore
1. Jamayne Isaako 2. Jack Bostock 4. Euan Aitken 5. Oliver Gildart 14. Brayden McGrady 6. Anthony Milford 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Jarrod Wallace 9. Harrison Graham 10. Herman Ese'ese 11. Jeremiah Simbiken 12. Connelly Lemuelu 13. Ray Stone
Interchange: 15. Valynce Te Whare 16. Tyler Szepanowski 17. Lachlan Hubner 18. Judah Rimbu 19. Rodrick Tai 20. Sherwin Tanabi 21. Kurt Donoghoe 22. Brenton Baira 23. Mason Teague 24. Poasa Faamausili
Kick-off: Sunday, February 12, 8:05pm (AEDT)
Venue: Barlow Park, Cairns
Referee: Darian Furner
1. Reece Walsh, 2. Jordan Pereira, 3. Kotoni Staggs, 4. Herbie Farnworth, 5. Deine Mariner, 6. Ezra Mam, 7. Jack Ahearn, 15. Logan Bayliss, 9. Cory Paix, 10. Payne Haas, 11. Shalom O'Ofou, 12. Brendan Frei, 13. Corey Jensen
Interchange: 14. Billy Walters, 16. Martin Taupau, 17. Benjamin Te Kura 18. Ethan Quai-Ward, 19. Tyson Smoothy, 20. Tristan Sailor, 21. Josh Rogers, 22. James Johnson 23. Brendan Piakura
1. Jayden Campbell, 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 3. Aaron Schoupp, 4. Phillip Sami, 5. Jojo Fifita, 6. Toby Sexton, 7. Tanah Boyd (c), 8. Jaimin Jolliffe, 14. Sam McIntyre, 10. Joe Stimson, 11. David Fifita, 12. Klese Haas, 13. Erin Clark
Interchange: 15. Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui, 16. Joseph Vuna, 17. Treymain Spry, 18. Thomas Weaver, 19. Keano Kini, 20. Jaylan De Groot, 21. Tony Francis, 22. Josiah Pahulu, 23. Vaka Sikahele, 24. Jacob Alick, 25. Ryan Foran, 26. Jaron Purcell
Kick-off: Saturday, February 11, 1:30pm (AEDT)
Venue: Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua
Referee: Rochelle Tamarua
1. Gayle Broughton, 2. Jasmin Strange, 3. Amy Turner, 4. Shanice Parker, 5. Zali Fay, 6. Zahara Temara, 7. Ashleigh Quinlan, 8. Shannon Mato, 9. Brooke Anderson, 10. Mya Hill-Moana, 11. Tiana Raftstrand-Smith, 12. Olivia Kernick, 13. Destiny Brill
Interchange: 14. Capri Paekau, 15. Harata Butler, 16. Laikha Clarke, 17. Aaliyah Paki, 18. Kahu Cassidy
1. Jamie Chapman, 2. Bobbi Law, 3. Mia Middleton, 4. Jasmine Peters, 5. Jada Taylor, 6. Kira Dibb, 7. Tahlulah Tillett, 8. Kailee Joseph, 9. Quincy Dodd, 10. Sareka Mooka, 11. Kaitlyn Phillips, 12. Shaylee Bent, 13. Shaniah Power
Interchange: 14. Taliah Fuimaono, 15. Ahlivia Ingram, 16. Shakiah Tungai, 17. Essay Banu, 18. Bree Chester
Kick-off: Saturday, February 11, 3:45pm (AEDT)
Venue: Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua
Referee: Gerard Sutton
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
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