NRL 2024 Draw: Anzac Day triple header, Tigers must wait to get claws into Luke Brooks
The NRL have revamped Anzac Day with three games on the day and new opponents for the Warriors and Storm. Check out the latest news on the 2024 season draw.
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The NRL are planning an Anzac Day triple header across two states and two countries with a blockbuster slate of matches to commemorate the day.
The traditional Anzac Day game between the Roosters and St George Illawarra will take centre stage while the Warriors will host a match for the first time.
The Dragons and Roosters match will be played at Allianz Stadium.
The Warriors will take on the Titans having historically played the Storm in Melbourne since 2009. New Zealand had been pushing to have a match at their Auckland base and the NRL is set to reward them with a game.
The Storm will instead host South Sydney to complete the matches on Thursday April 25 which will be the start of round eight.
Star Manly recruit Luke Brooks will have a long wait to face his former club. The Tigers and the Sea Eagles are not due to play each other until the third last round of the competition. The Tigers will host Manly in round 25 in what looms as an important fixture to kickstart round 25 on Thursday night. The venue is yet to be decided but it is likely to be at Campbelltown Stadium.
Asked about the prospect of how he will be treated by the fans of his former club Brooks said: “Who knows? Probably a few boos. A lot of ex-players get booed. I don’t know – I wouldn’t mind playing there again. It would be good.”
Brooks has also been followed by Tommy Talau from the Tigers to Manly. While rising youngsters Latu and Samuela Fainu made high profile moves from the Tigers to Manly.
The Tigers play the Eels twice and get to host South Sydney (likely Campbelltown) and St George Illawarra (Leichhardt).
Their matches against the Rabbitohs and the Dragons is significant because South Sydney have never played the Wests Tigers at the Campbelltown and have not featured there since taking on Western Suburbs in 1999. The Dragons have played at Leichhardt Oval just once in the past 21 years.
Their run of local blockbusters starts with the Dragons in round six before closing out the season with South Sydney (round 24), Manly (round 25) and Parramatta (round 27).
The Tigers will also take a clash against the Knights to Tamworth.
Other key details surrounding the draw include:
– Cross-town rivals Parramatta and Penrith to play in round two.
– Penrith to take on South Sydney in round nine.
– Adam Reynolds returning to Sydney with his Brisbane Broncos team to play South Sydney on Friday night in round 15.
– Wayne Bennett could make his final appearance at NetStrata Jubilee Oval when the Dolphins play at the venue for the first time against the Dragons in round 19.
– The Raiders to close out their season campaign by travelling to play the Dragons.
The NRL will officially launch the draw on Monday.
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Originally published as NRL 2024 Draw: Anzac Day triple header, Tigers must wait to get claws into Luke Brooks
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