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Inside Lomax’s switch to Parramatta | 09:22
For the first time in 2025, there is a full slate of NRL games to look forward to this weekend.
Watch every game of the 2025 NRL Pre-Season Challenge Live & Exclusive on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
Granted, it’s only pre-season, but there have been plenty of eyebrow raising calls that have been made by coaches regarding their trial teams.
The Tigers have decided to err on the side of caution with Jarome Luai, but several other omissions from Benji Marshall could be considered puzzling.
Meanwhile, a couple of seemingly safe halfback spots could change hands between now and the start of the regular season on March 2.
Read below for all of the big talking points out of the Week 2 team releases for the Pre-Season Challenge!
YOUNG GUN NAMED IN KNIGHTS’ HALVES SHOCK
It’s no secret that Newcastle have one of the more unsettled halves situations in the league.
It was a game of musical between Jackson Hastings, Jack Cogger, Tyson Gamble and Phoenix Crossland in 2024, with coach Adam O’Brien unable to find the right combination, even though all players had some good moments throughout the year.
Knights skipper Kalyn Ponga told foxsports.com.au this week that his side is still trying to find the “right equation” for their halves conundrum, and for this weekend’s trial, a fresh combination will be wheeled out.
Knights young gun Fletcher Sharpe, who burst onto the scene last year in 13 NRL games at fullback and wing for Newcastle, has been spotted training in the halves this pre-season.
That was no red herring, with O’Brien naming Sharpe to play five-eighth alongside halfback Jack Cogger in Newcastle’s Pre-Season Challenge opener against Parramatta on Friday night.
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Sharpe, who is under contract with the Knights until the end of 2028, didn’t play in the halves at all last season in NSW Cup or the NRL, so there’s plenty to be learned on Friday. If he plays well though, it’ll be hard to leave him out of the No. 6 jersey for Round 1.
In addition, the Knights are pleased with how winger and former Raider James Schiller has come along this pre-season, which has in turn given O’Brien the freedom to test his hand and move Sharpe inside.
Schiller has been named on the right wing for Friday’s trial.
FIRST LOOK AT NEW EELS RECRUIT
It’s fair to say the Eels are one of the more intriguing teams heading into the 2025 season, with a rookie head coach in Jason Ryles at the helm and a couple of club legends leaving in the off-season.
One of those was fullback and former skipper Clint Gutherson, who will don the Dragons’ Red V in 2025.
The man slated to replace Gutherson at the back is Panthers recruit Isaiah Iongi, who only has the one NRL game under the belt.
In August of last season, the Eels were stunned when future Gutherson replacement Blaize Talagi turned his back on the club to sign with Penrith.
The Eels needed to recoup their losses, so 10 days later, they announced the signing of the exciting Iongi, whose path to first grade at Penrith was being blocked by superstar Dylan Edwards.
Iongi seems to have won the early Eels fullback battle, as he’ll wear the No. 1 jersey in a trial match against the Knights on Friday, beating out fellow recruit Joash Papalii.
Eels half Mitch Moses said this week that the club is excited at what Iongi brings but knows he’s a young, inexperienced player so urged fans to be patient.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on him. He’s a young kid with a lot to learn and he’s going to learn on the way, he’s going to make mistakes and all these sorts of things,” Moses told foxsports.com.au at Monday’s NRL season launch.
“He’s doing all the right things at training so hopefully he can transform that into a game situation
“We don’t want him to be like Gutho. He’s got his own touch and he’s got to have his own role. We just want him to be himself.”
Eels recruit Isaiah Iongi has been named at fullback for the club’s first trial match of 2025.Source: SuppliedTIGERS RESIST UNLEASHING BIG GUNS
In somewhat of a shock move, Tigers coach Benji Marshall has named next to none of his star players for the Pre-Season Challenge match against the Bulldogs.
Lachlan Galvin will don the No. 6, but he won’t be joined by new recruit Jarome Luai, hooker Api Koroisau, fullback Jahream Bula and winger Sunia Turuva among others.
In fairness, Luai suffered a minor injury setback a fortnight ago so the club is deciding to err on the side of caution with the superstar playmaker. But the decision to not name key spine members Koroisau and Bula as well as new recruits in Turuva and Jack Bird is a little puzzling.
This is a club who has collected the past three wooden spoons and need as much game day prep as any other team, especially with new faces joining in the off-season.
It’s believed that the Tigers will unveil Luai in next week’s trial match, giving the all-important halves pairing of Galvin and the former Panther just one game together before their season kicks off against Newcastle on March 7.
Will it be enough of a hitout? Or could it result in a sluggish start to the Tigers’ season.
SHOOTOUT FOR RAIDERS AND RABBITOHS NO. 7 JERSEY?
While there are firm favourites at Souths and Canberra of who will start the regular season as the team’s halfback, there are a couple of new recruits keeping things honest.
The Raiders will more than likely roll with veteran half Jamal Fogarty in Round 1 while Englishman Lewis Dodd is in the box seat to wear the No. 7 in South Sydney’s opener against the Dolphins.
However, there is no lack of competition with two young guns putting themselves in the frame.
In Canberra, former Eel Ethan Sanders was one of the best afield during the Raiders’ Pre-Season Challenge upset of Penrith last Saturday.
He’s been impressing all off-season and has recently made the bold statement he didn’t leave Parra to be a backup elsewhere.
With Fogarty named at seven against the Sharks on Thursday in Canberra’ second trial match, Sanders will wear the No. 6.
Fogarty was very good for the Raiders last season, almost helping them to an unlikely top eight finish.
It’d be considered stiff if he lost out to Sanders for Round 1, but the humble veteran isn’t resting on his laurels.
“Whoever can do the best job for the squad will get the nod and it doesn’t matter if you do miss out on it, you’ve got to go back to NSW Cup, apply your best footy there to make sure there’s pressure on that person playing NRL in that jersey,” Fogarty said as per The Canberra Times.
“That’s what the club’s been building to. You know, they want good depth.”
Like Sanders, Humphreys has also been turning heads at his new club.
So much so, that coach Wayne Bennett is reportedly toying with the idea of starting the utility at halfback over Dodd, who was the presumed starter entering 2025.
Humphreys and Dodd will partner each other in the halves this weekend in South Sydney’s trial match against Humphreys’ former side Manly.
The ex-Sea Eagles will play five-eighth with Dodd to start at halfback.
It’s worth noting that Humphreys’ selection could be as an audition for the No. 6 jersey to start the season with incumbent Cody Walker in doubt with injury for Round 1.
Souths recruit Jamie Humphreys.Source: Getty ImagesTITANS STAR AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
There were fears late last year that Titans star David Fifita would be out of action for the start of the 2025 NRL season because of an ankle injury.
Thankfully Titans fans, Fifita looks on track for a Round 1 appearance after being named in the Gold Coast’s side to play Brisbane in a Pre-Season Challenge match this weekend.
Fifita underwent ankle surgery in the off-season, but he’s had an excellent start to 2025, working himself back into the fray just in time.
Fifita’s teammate Moe Fotuaika went a step further, believing Fifita has come back “the best he has ever has”.
“I am excited to see how he goes this weekend,” Fotuaika told the AAP.
“The start of pre-season he was having a few niggling injuries with it and it wasn’t coming right, but once he pushed through that pain he got back to full training.
“Dave has definitely come back in a lot better shape this year. It is probably the best he has ever come back.”
While Fifita has been named for the trial against the Broncos, Titans skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has been left out.
Fa’asuamaleaui told foxsports.com.au this week that he isn’t quite 100% after a knee reconstruction last year but expects to be right for Round 1.
