Team Announcement: Pre-season Challenge v Bulldogs

Author: melbournestorm.com.au
Timestamp: Tue 13 Feb 2024, 03:59 PM

Melbourne Storm has named a 28-man squad with a mixture of experience and youth to take on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in its first pre-season challenge match at Belmore Sports Ground Thursday evening.

Following his outspoken enthusiasm to re-join the playing group, fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen will once again return to the No.1 jersey after a devastating ankle injury sustained at the end of the 2023 season saw him begin pre-season training in the Storm rehab group.

Papenhuyzen will be joined by fellow first-graders Dean Ieremia, Reimis Smith, Marion Seve, Jonah Pezet, Bronson Garlick, Aaron Pene, Kane Bradley, Chris Lewis, Trent Loiero and Tyran Wishart.

Development listed players, Tristan Powell, Cole Geyer and Lazarus Vaalepu will feature alongside several Academy players and feeder talent who have impressed across pre-season.

The NRL Pre-season Challenge carries $100,000 in prizemoney with points accrued in various ways across each club’s two matches.

Teams will receive 12 points for a win, six points for a draw, and will also be eligible for a bonus point by scoring five or more tries, making five or more linebreaks and 10 or more offloads.

Games will be played over 80 minutes as normal, with clubs able to field as many as 28 players with unlimited interchanges at their disposal in both weeks.

The NRL Bunker will be in use in all matches, while games that are tied at the end of regular time will be declared a draw, with no golden point to be played.

Storm and the Bulldogs will kick off at 7pm with the full match streamed live on Fox League and Kayo.

Full pre-season challenge team list

Round 1 - Round 1 - Thursday 15 Feb

Full Time

Bulldogs

Storm

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Bulldogs is number 1 Blake Taaffe

Fullback for Storm is number 1 Ryan Papenhuyzen
Winger for Bulldogs is number 2 Blake Wilson

Winger for Storm is number 2 Dean Ieremia
Centre for Bulldogs is number 3 Eli Clark

Centre for Storm is number 3 Reimis Smith
Centre for Bulldogs is number 4 Bronson Xerri

Centre for Storm is number 4 Marion Seve
Winger for Bulldogs is number 5 Jeral Skelton

Winger for Storm is number 17 Coby Williamson
Five-Eighth for Bulldogs is number 6 Matt Burton

Five-Eighth for Storm is number 6 Keagan Russell-Smith
Halfback for Bulldogs is number 7 Drew Hutchison

Halfback for Storm is number 7 Jonah Pezet

Forwards

Prop for Bulldogs is number 8 Max King

Prop for Storm is number 8 Tristan Powell
Hooker for Bulldogs is number 9 Reed Mahoney

Hooker for Storm is number 14 Tyran Wishart
Prop for Bulldogs is number 15 Poasa Faamausili

Prop for Storm is number 10 Aaron Pene
2nd Row for Bulldogs is number 11 Kitione Kautoga

2nd Row for Storm is number 11 Kane Bradley
2nd Row for Bulldogs is number 12 Jacob Preston

2nd Row for Storm is number 12 Chris Lewis
Lock for Bulldogs is number 13 Jaeman Salmon

Lock for Storm is number 13 Trent Loiero

Interchange

Interchange for Bulldogs is number 10 Samuel Hughes

Interchange for Storm is number 9 Suliasi Prescott
Interchange for Bulldogs is number 14 Toby Sexton

Interchange for Storm is number 15 Caius Faatili
Interchange for Bulldogs is number 16 Liam Knight

Interchange for Storm is number 16 Lazarus Vaalepu
Interchange for Bulldogs is number 17 Jordan Samrani

Interchange for Storm is number 18 Treigh Stewart

Reserves

Reserve for Bulldogs is number 19 Harry Hayes

Reserve for Storm is number 5 Tuipulotu Katoa
Reserve for Bulldogs is number 20 Bailey Hayward

Reserve for Storm is number 19 Cole Geyer
Reserve for Bulldogs is number 21 Joash Papalii

Reserve for Storm is number 20 Sheldon Diaz
Reserve for Bulldogs is number 22 Jonathan Sua

Reserve for Storm is number 21 Thomas Rafter
Reserve for Bulldogs is number 23 Jack Todd

Reserve for Storm is number 22 Karauria Stokes-Mahara
Reserve for Bulldogs is number 24 Joseph O'Neill

Reserve for Storm is number 23 Stanley Huen
Reserve for Bulldogs is number 25 Luke Smith

Reserve for Storm is number 24 Mitchell Jennings
Reserve for Bulldogs is number 26 Lipoi Hopoi

Reserve for Storm is number 26 Jontay-Junior Betham-Misa
Reserve for Bulldogs is number 27 Kurtis Morrin

Reserve for Storm is number 27 Regan Hughes
Reserve for Bulldogs is number 28 William Afualo

Reserve for Storm is number 28 Jake Toby
Reserve for Bulldogs is number 29 Khaled Rajab