NRL, ROUND 8, APRIL 25th, 2023 SYDNEY ROOSTERS v St GEORGE DRAGONS
ALLIANZ STADIUM ,SYDNEY
The Roosters and the Red V will clash for the 21st time on our most important national day, ANZAC DAY, and can once again be relied upon to play their part in a unique match in front of a full house at Allianz Stadium.
The Roosters have won eight of their past nine games against the Dragons.
The Dragons have won nine of their past 14 Anzac Day games against the Roosters.
Roosters winger Jaxson Paulo has scored five tries in his past three games at Allianz Stadium.
Dragons centre Zac Lomax has scored five tries in eight games against the Roosters.
Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves will play a record 12th Anzac Day game against the Dragons.
Roosters team:
1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Joseph Suaalii 4. Paul Momirovski 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Joseph Manu 7. Luke Keary 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Egan Butcher 12. Angus Crichton 13. Victor Radley 14. Drew Hutchison 15. Terrell May 16. Sitili Tupouniua 17. Matthew Lodge 18. Corey Allan 19. Nathan Brown 20. Naufahu Whyte 21. Jake Turpin 22. Sam Walker
A major shock for the Roosters with halfback Sam Walker dropped from the side. Joey Manu will start at five eighth with Luke Keary taking the No.7 jersey with Paul Momirovski named at centre.
World Cup winner Angus Crichton makes his comeback and will fill the hole left by Nat Butcher’s suspension. Sitili Tupouniua has been named to play his first game since Round 18 last year having recovered from an ACL injury. Former Eel Nathan Brown is listed among the reserves after he played NSW Cup last weekend but Fletcher Baker (concussion) remains sidelined.
Dragons team:
1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Zac Lomax 5. Tautau Moga 6. Talatau Amone 7. Ben Hunt 8. Zane Musgrove 9. Moses Mbye 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Ben Murdoch-Masila 12. Jack Bird 13. Jack de Belin 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Michael Molo 16. Toby Couchman 17. Josh Kerr 18. Jaiyden Hunt 19. Max Feagai 20. Jayden Sullivan 21. Billy Burns 22. Viliami Fifita
Ben Murdoch-Masila comes back into the starting side with Jayden Su’A out.
Moses Mbye has been named to start in the No.9 jersey after the interchange fiasco last week against Canberra with Jacob Liddle on the bench.
Both sides arrive at Round 8 short on wins but high on motivation, the Roosters perhaps under a tad more pressure simply because more is expected of them in 2023, than the Dragons.
Trent Robinson’s men sit ninth with three wins and three losses, but their much vaunted attack is producing only 18 point per game, a far cry from the likes of Brisbane (29ppg), Cronulla (27ppg) and Penrith (26ppg).
They confront a Dragons side low on confidence after back-to-back losses to the Titans and Raiders, and seemingly worn down by the constant speculation surrounding coach Anthony Griffin’s future.
With an ounce of luck and a couple of smarter choices in the big moments they could have come away with wins in both those games and history shows they always lift for Anzac Day, holding a 12-8 advantage since the inaugural clash in 2002.
PREDICTION
I am going for the Chooks here. With Manu back in the halves I think he will get his hands on the ball more and make better decisions than Sam Walker has in the past few games. I will go Roosters minus 8.5 points start @ $ 1.67
There is great money going for the Dragons as well. Plus 15.5 points start @ $1.64
15.5 points is a lot of points to give away and the Dragons tradionally lift on this special day.
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