Matchday Details
Friday, August 15 – 6pm (AEST) – Go Media Stadium
📺 Broadcast: Fox League / Kayo
Referee: Todd Smith | Bunker: Ashley Klein
Warriors
1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Dallin Watene-zelezniak 3. Adam Pompey 4. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 5. Roger Tuivasa-sheck 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Tanah Boyd 8. James Fisher-Harris 9. Wayde Egan 10. Jackson Ford 11. Leka Halasima 12. Marata Niukore 13. Erin Clark 14. Samuel Healey 15. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava 16. Demitric Vaimauga 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith 18. Freddy Lussick 20. Edward Kosi 21. Tom Ale 22. Kayliss Fatialofa 25. Bunty Afoa
Dragons
1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Tyrell Sloan 3. Hayden Buchanan 4. Mathew Feagai 5. Corey Allan 6. Lyhkan King-togia 7. Kyle Flanagan 8. Emre Guler 9. Damien Cook 10. David Klemmer 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Hamish Stewart 13. Jack De Belin 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Michael Molo 16. Hame Sele 17. Loko Pasifiki Tonga 18. Ben Murdoch-Masila 19. Lachlan Ilias 20. Jacob Halangahu 21. Nathan Lawson 22. Christian Tuipulotu
Match Preview
With just four rounds remaining in the 2025 regular season, every game is vital to finals football hopes. For the Warriors and Dragons, Friday night’s Indigenous Round match at Go Media Stadium/Te pā o Rarotonga will give the winner two desperately needed competition points.
The Warriors’ loss to Canterbury on Saturday night was their third in a row and their fifth in their past seven games. Injuries have taken their toll, they’ve fallen to fifth, and are not only desperately chasing a top four berth, but are now in danger of missing out on a home final.
After a hot-and-cold season, the Dragons have strung together a pair of good wins against top eight teams Canberra and Cronulla in the past two weeks. Though their chances of playing finals footy are slim, continuing to win keeps them alive.
There’s mixed news on the team list front for the Warriors, with Wayde Egan returning from injury at hooker, but Kurt Capewell and the newly re-signed Te Maire Martin are out due to the NRL’s concussion protocols. Tanah Boyd is back at halfback while Leka Halasima will start in the back row. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava joins the bench while Freddy Lussick drops to the reserves.
St George Illawarra have changes of their own, losing Moses Suli (knee) and Blake Lawrie (birth of child), but gaining Matthew Feagai and Michael Molo in their place. Loko Pasifiki Tonga Junior also joins the bench with Jacob Halangahu dropping to the reserves. Last week’s debutant Hayden Buchanan retains his place in the team, while Jack de Belin becomes the fourth player to play 250 first grade games for the club.
After starting the season as one of the best defensive outfits, the Warriors’ falling form has been heavily impacted by their defence. They missed a whopping 44 tackles in their loss to the Bulldogs, following on from the 46 they missed against the Dolphins. Their right-edge defence has been problematic all season, conceding 27 tries to opposing left wingers and centres. The Dragons meanwhile have scored 25 tries in those positions, their best area. Despite this, the Dragons’ leading tryscorer for the season is Tyrell Sloan, whose 16 tries in 17 games sees him second in the race for the Ken Irvine Medal and have mostly come from him using his pace to beat his opposite number on the right wing. Sloan has also made an art form of scoring multiple tries in one game: his six doubles for 2025 is more than any other player.
The Dragons have an exceptionally good record against the Warriors, winning 25 of their 38 matches, though the Warriors have won three of the past four, including their 15-14 victory at WIN Stadium in round 10. The Dragons haven’t won at Go Media Stadium since round 3, 2011, losing each of their three matches there since then. Their only three wins in New Zealand since then have come at neutral venues.
Prediction
RLZ Tip: Dragons by 4.
See our full Round 24 Predictions (live Wednesday 12pm) here: 2025 NRL Tipping: Round 24 Writer Predictions
Have your say: Who wins? Drop your tip in the comments or vote in our poll.
Related Links
- Round 24 Late Mail
- 2025 NRL Round 23 Injury List
