Shane Flanagan has named an extended 24-man squad for Saturday night’s Witzer Pre-Season Challenge clash against the Knights at Jubilee Stadium.
The big news: this is a development-heavy lineup. No Flanagan, Atkinson, Gutherson, Cook, Holmes, or Suli. The first-choice spine and strike weapons are being saved for later in the pre-season (or Vegas). Instead, it’s Lyhkan King-Togia at five-eighth and 18-year-old Kade Reed at halfback, the junior halves pairing getting their first real audition together.
The 24
| # | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyrell Sloan | Fullback |
| 2 | Christian Tuipulotu | Wing |
| 3 | David Fale | Centre |
| 4 | Mathew Feagai | Centre |
| 5 | Setu Tu | Wing |
| 6 | Lyhkan King-Togia | Five-Eighth |
| 7 | Kade Reed | Halfback |
| 8 | Josh Kerr | Prop |
| 9 | Haele Finau | Hooker |
| 10 | Toby Couchman | Prop |
| 11 | Ryan Couchman | 2nd Row |
| 12 | Jacob Halangahu | 2nd Row |
| 13 | Hame Sele | Lock |
| 14 | Tyler Peckham-Harris | Interchange |
| 15 | Charles Heidke | Interchange |
| 16 | Hayden Buchanan | Interchange |
| 17 | Nick Tsougranis | Interchange |
| 18 | Joseph O’Neill | Reserve |
| 19 | Loko Pasifiki Tonga | Reserve |
| 20 | Isaiah Fagalilo | Reserve |
| 21 | Blake Lawrie | Reserve |
| 22 | Dylan Coutts | Reserve |
| 23 | Cyrus Stanley-Traill | Reserve |
| 24 | Ryan Hutchinson | Reserve |
Worth watching: both Couchman twins are back after injuries wiped their 2025 seasons. Josh Kerr returns in the No. 8 jersey. New recruits David Fale and Setu Tu slot straight into the backline. And Reed, the Flegg captain who dropped a 20-point haul against the Tigers last year and earned a late-season NSW Cup call-up, gets the 7 jersey and a chance to show what he can do in senior football.
Dragons kick off at 5:30pm at Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah. The second pre-season trial is the annual Charity Shield against the Rabbitohs at WIN Stadium on February 14.
Source: NRL Team List: Pre-Season Challenge vs. Knights — Dragons official site