NRL trials as it happened: Dragons halves breathe fire; Bulldogs youngsters aim up

St George Illawarra have claimed a 26-8 NRL pre-season challenge win and highlighted some concerns for the Sydney Roosters as they enter a new era.

Boasting one of the strongest starting teams in the trials so far, the Dragons outscored the Roosters five tries to two in front of a 7,281-strong crowd at Jubilee Oval on Sunday.

Dragons five-eighth Kyle Flanagan starred against the Roosters on Sunday night.Credit: NRL Imagery

Perhaps no side in the NRL is under the microscope in 2025 as much as Trent Robinson’s men.

They have lost more than 1000 games of experience over the off-season, headlined by the departures of Luke Keary, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Joey Manu and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii,

The Roosters have been adamant the turnover of top-line talent - exacerbated by long-term injuries to Brandon Smith and Sam Walker - will not prevent them from being a heavyweight come finals time.

And while Robinson named a side containing maybe eight or so players who would likely start in their round one clash with Brisbane, the Dragons were able to poke at some sore points.

Dragons five-eighth Kyle Flanagan had some joy playing against his former club and crossed for his side’s first try of the night next to the posts.

He then caused confusion with a grubberkick down Saints’ left edge which halfback Chad Townsend and centre Rob Toia were unable to deal with.

Happy days on Dragons debut for Clint Gutherson.Credit: Getty Images

Damien Cook scooped up and touched down before Flanagan again turned provider with a cut-out pass to Sione Finau, the winger on the same edge.

There were other defensive issues on the left side for the Roosters, with former Wallaby Mark Nawaqanitawase and five-eighth Sandon Smith missing a handful of tackles each in the first half.

Nawaqanitawase started the game at left centre and spent part of the second half at fullback.

It was only when Dragons coach Shane Flanagan took some of his big guns off late in the first half that the Roosters got on the board when Smith set up Dominic Young.

Tyreece Tait scored for the Roosters in the second half and as the game wore on there was mostly a mix of NSW Cup players on display.

There was another convert of note on show.

Former Australian rugby sevens player Nathan Lawson had an encouraging stint on the wing for the Dragons.

He looked tidy under the high ball and helped set up Kade Reed, who scored the penultimate try before Mika Ravalawa crossed late on.

Winding down here at Kogarah with a few minutes left and it’s been all Dragons tonight - they’ve fielded probably the closest thing to a full-strength side of any club this weekend and it’s shown.

Back-rower Dylan Egan did land himself on report earlier for a lifting tackle - tipping he’ll pay a fine and that’ll be it. But the Dragons have helped themselves to another with three minutes left, winger Mikaele Ravalawa crossing untouched down the left wing thanks to a cut-out ball from back-up custodian Ben Rumble.

Dragons 26 Roosters 8

Well, there’s one for the scrapbook. Rugby Sevens recruit and recent Olympian turned Dragons winger Nathan Lawson has pulled out a bit of a stunner with not much doing at all.

Young half Kade Reed hoiked a bomb and Lawson duly flew high for it, taking the catch around 20 metres out from the Roosters line before managing to find his feet and toe the ball ahead. And there in support, Reed, dotting down on a lovely try - not bad for Lawson’s first outing in Dragons colours.

Dragons 22 Roosters 8

We’ve got a crowd figure here at Kogarah: 7281 for the two games. I tell you what I’ve seen worse turn outs as Raymond Faitala-Mariner leaves a hand print on the chest of Roosters rookie Jake Elliott and palms him to the ground. Never mind the play broke down shortly afterwards. Most of the Dragons big names are taking a breather to start the second half. Sione Finau may have tweaked a calf I’m told.

The Chooks have got Mark Nawaqanitawase at fullback to start the second stanza and they too have rested the majority of their big names, though round one chance Rob Toia still out there at right centre.

And Toia’s involved as we type, throws the last pass for youngster Tyreece Tait to cross in the corner for the Roosters.

Dragons 18 Roosters 8

The Roosters are on the board. Not without trying, Dom Young is held up by desperate Dragons defence as Mika Ravalawa makes his way onto the left wing.

Two plays later they come calling again, the Dragons misread the play and Sandon Smith bullets a ball to Young who crosses in the corner.

Dragons 18 Roosters 4

Double trouble, the Dragons are in again and it’s Kyle Flanagan setting it up once more. He changes play back to the left when pressing the Chooks line, wrong foots Clint Gutherson in the process.

He pops a grubber onto the tryline and Damien Cook swoops from nowhere. All the Dragons at 12-0.

And soon enough Flanagan has his hands in another try, this one quite scrappy as he stands in a tackle and throws a pass over the top to young winger Sione Finau to score in the corner. Val Holmes nails the sideline conversion too. Clint Gutherson takes a breather after 30 minutes as well.

Dragons 18 Roosters 0

It’s been all the Roosters so far, but it’s the Dragons who strike first. Kyle Flanagan goes to the line with the Dragons first real attacking chance and sells a big dummy.

Steps past Spencer Leniu and scores under the posts. Val Holmes converts from in front and a reasonable Red V crowd here is very happy about it.

Dragons 6 Roosters 0

Even stevens after the first 10 minutes of Roosters-Dragons and we get three kicks in the one play after Mark Nawaqanitawase tapped the first bomb back over the top of new Dragons skipper Clint Gutherson.

Chooks with more than the lion’s share of possession and territory to start and again, it’s Nawaqanitawase poking his nose through the defence and getting away an offload that ends up in a Dragons drop-out. Don’t ask me how.

Lachlan Ilias with a cracking try-saver on his own line when De La Salle Va’a went charging at him. Brought down the big man ball and all and that’ll do his confidence a world of good.

Dragons 0 Roosters 0

Canterbury and Wests Tigers arrived in Kogarah last night with most of their stars kept on ice for the pre-season clash, leaving it to the support acts to shine – and press their claims for a first-team berth.

Two tries from impressive winger Ratu Rinakama proved the difference, helping the Bulldogs to an entertaining 20-14 win.

Neither club was willing to show its hand ahead of more important engagements in the coming weeks. The Bulldogs were without their influential captain Stephen Crichton while the Tigers decided to postpone Jarome Luai’s bow for his new club.

A big question this season is how Luai will gel with young talent Lachlan Galvin in the Tigers halves, and the former Panther got a close-up view of the young five-eighth’s ability at Kogarah.

Galvin consistently asked questions of the Bulldogs’ defence with his precise kicking game during his 40 minutes on the field.

Next week’s final pre-season clash against Parramatta at Leichhardt will give Galvin and Luai their one and only dress rehearsal before the round-one curtain-raiser against the Knights.Both teams were rusty, but Bulldogs halfback Joseph O’Neill caused some aerial chaos for the Tigers in the early stages.

Benji Marshall’s side had early attacking opportunities, but they were met by a relentless Bulldogs defence obviously aware this was a key audition in front of coach Cameron Ciraldo.

Ratu Rinakama scores one of his two tries at Kogarah.Credit: Getty Images

Bulldogs winger Jonathan Sua made an outstanding break to open up the Tigers defence, before the front-rower Jack Todd went over for the first try of the game with his first touch.

The Tigers were often reliant on Galvin to create openings in attack and the five-eighth shaped to kick on the last play of the set before sending a pass through to Solomona Faataape, whose flick to Alex Lobb allowed the winger to put through a perfectly weighted kick that Heath Mason touched down.

The Bulldogs fired back with a try just before half-time from Rinakama after a brilliant tap of the ball under pressure from centre Danny Gabrael sent the winger through in the corner to give his side a four-point lead at the break.

Faataape got the Tigers off to a perfect start in the second half after stepping through the Bulldogs defence for his first try of the game, levelling the scores after Lobb’s conversion attempt fell short.

The centre got his second try just three minutes later, crashing over in the right corner almost unopposed after some uncharacteristically weak defence from the Bulldogs. Rinakama got his second to level the game, before fellow winger Sua dived over to give the Bulldogs the lead in a game filled with defensive errors on both sides.

The Bulldogs will face the Broncos next week and the Tigers will take on Parramatta in the final week of pre-season with both sides likely to play their strongest sides.