2026 NRL: Pre-Season Challenge Round 1 Recap

Check out what happened in round 1 of the Pre-Season Challenge competition.

Review

Embed from Getty Images

North Queensland and St George Illawarra opened the 2026 Pre-Season Challenge with wins in the Jubilee Stadium double-header on Saturday. The Dragons and Cowboys lead the Pre-Season Challenge ladder on 13 points each. Canterbury are on two points and Newcastle are on one point.

While the Dragons and Knights are predicted to be around the bottom four this season, their Jubilee trial was entertaining, with a handful of first graders playing for both sides. There was 10 tries in all, with the Dragons leading by four when Tyrell Sloan scored in the 77th minute. Dragons halfback Kade Reed showed he could be a future star, scoring a try, setting up two more, and kicking two goals. He also chased down Sandon Smith after he took an intercept late in the first half. Reed forced a knock on from Smith, stopping a potential Knights try. The Dragons led 12-4 midway through the first half before Brodie Jones and James Schiller (who had a try disallowed a couple of tackles earlier) levelled the game 12-12 at the break. Thomas Cant’s try and conversion were Newcastle’s only second half points.

While the Cowboys beat the Bulldogs by four points, a second half comeback from Canterbury-Bankstown (mostly made up of NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg players) made the game closer than it was. North Queensland – who played a near full-strength side – dominated the first half. Robert Derby scored two of the Cowboys’ five tries as they led 28-6 at half-time.

All four sides wrap up their Las Vegas preparations next weekend: North Queensland plays Penrith in Mackay (Friday 8pm), Newcastle plays Canterbury at McDonald Jones Stadium (Saturday 6pm), and St George Illawarra plays South Sydney in the Charity Shield at WIN Stadium (Saturday 8:10pm).

Embed from Getty Images

Bulldogs vs Cowboys

Full Time: Bulldogs 30 – 34 Cowboys

Bulldogs 30 (Tries: Justin Matamua 37′; Aaymon Fitzgibbon 46′; Cooper Toy 57′; Louis Grossemy 63′; Jope Rauqe 66′; Mikey Nassar 77′. Goals: Jonathan Sua 38′; Aaymon Fitzgibbon 67′, 78′)
Cowboys 34 (Tries: Heilum Luki 5′; Robert Derby 15′, 21′; Zac Laybutt 17′; Kai O’Donnell 26′; Mason Barber 75′. Goals: Jake Clifford 7′, 19′, 23′, 28′; Liam Sutton 75′)
Half-Time Score: Bulldogs 6 – 28 Cowboys
Date: Saturday 7th February 2026
Venue: Jubilee Stadium, Sydney

Bulldogs Team

Number	Player	Position	Tries	Goals	Points
1	Taye Cochrane	Fullback	0	0	0
2	Cooper Toy	Winger	1	0	4
3	Sosaia Alatini	Centre	0	0	0
4	Jed Reardon	Centre	0	0	0
5	Jonathan Sua	Winger	0	1	2
6	Joseph Teaupa	Five-Eighth	0	0	0
7	Alex Conti	Halfback	0	0	0
9	Gordon Chan Kum Tong	Hooker	0	0	0
10	Samuel Hughes	Prop	0	0	0
11	Alekolasimi Jones	2nd Row	0	0	0
12	Logan Spinks	2nd Row	0	0	0
13	Lipoi Hopoi	Lock	0	0	0
14	Fletcher Baker	Prop	0	0	0
15	Sosefo Finau	Interchange	0	0	0
16	Zyon Maiu’u	Interchange	0	0	0
17	Aaymon Fitzgibbon	Interchange	1	2	8
19	Jack Underhill	Interchange	0	0	0
20	Raymond Puru	Reserve	0	0	0
21	Hamish Wilson	Reserve	0	0	0
22	Jope Rauqe	Reserve	1	0	4
23	Mikey Nassar	Reserve	1	0	4
24	Justin Matamua	Reserve	1	0	4
25	Bud Smith	Reserve	0	0	0
26	Bailey Myers	Reserve	0	0	0
27	Louis Grossemy	Reserve	1	0	4
–	Team Total	–	6	3	30

Cowboys Team

Number	Player	Position	Tries	Goals	Points
1	Mason Barber	Fullback	1	0	4
2	Robert Derby	Winger	2	0	8
3	Zac Laybutt	Centre	1	0	4
4	Liam Sutton	Centre	0	1	2
5	Jaxson Paulo	Winger	0	0	0
6	Jaxon Purdue	Five-Eighth	0	0	0
7	Jake Clifford	Halfback	0	4	8
8	Harrison Edwards	Prop	0	0	0
9	Xavier Kerrisk	Hooker	0	0	0
10	Thomas Mikaele	Prop	0	0	0
11	Heilum Luki	2nd Row	1	0	4
12	Kai O’Donnell	2nd Row	1	0	4
13	Sam McIntyre	Lock	0	0	0
14	Zac Herdegen	Interchange	0	0	0
15	Kaiden Lahrs	Interchange	0	0	0
16	Mason Kira	Interchange	0	0	0
17	Matthew Watts	Interchange	0	0	0
18	Creedence Toia	Reserve	0	0	0
19	Ronald Philitoga	Reserve	0	0	0
20	Maddox Goodwin	Reserve	0	0	0
21	Wiremu Greig	Reserve	0	0	0
22	Tyler Moriarty	Reserve	0	0	0
23	Joseph Doyle	Reserve	0	0	0
24	Isaiah Latu	Reserve	0	0	0
25	Mitchell Prest	Reserve	0	0	0
26	Aitasi James	Reserve	0	0	0
–	Team Total	–	6	5	34

Here is the NRL match results template filled for the Dragons vs Knights pre-season game, using the same format as the previous Bulldogs vs Cowboys match.

Dragons vs Knights

Full Time: Dragons 28 – 18 Knights

Scorers Dragons 28 (Tries: Kade Reed 12′; Setu Tu 23′; Josh Kerr 49′; Mathew Feagai 69′; Hayden Buchanan 75′; Tyrell Sloan 77′. Goals: Kade Reed 13′, 25′)
Knights 18 (Tries: Kyle McCarthy 16′; Brodie Jones 27′; James Schiller 31′; Thomas Cant 64′. Goals: Thomas Cant 66′)
Half-Time Score: Dragons 12 – 12 Knights
Date: Saturday 7th February 2026
Venue: Jubilee Stadium, Sydney

Dragons Team

Number	Player	Position	Tries	Goals	Points
1	Tyrell Sloan	Fullback	1	0	4
2	Christian Tuipulotu	Winger	0	0	0
3	David Fale	Centre	0	0	0
4	Mathew Feagai	Centre	1	0	4
5	Setu Tu	Winger	1	0	4
6	Lyhkan King-Togia	Five-Eighth	0	0	0
7	Kade Reed	Halfback	1	2	8
8	Josh Kerr	Prop	1	0	4
9	Haele Finau	Hooker	0	0	0
10	Toby Couchman	Prop	0	0	0
11	Ryan Couchman	2nd Row	0	0	0
12	Jacob Halangahu	2nd Row	0	0	0
13	Hame Sele	Lock	0	0	0
14	Tyler Peckham-Harris	Interchange	0	0	0
15	Charles Heidke	Interchange	0	0	0
16	Hayden Buchanan	Interchange	1	0	4
17	Nick Tsougranis	Interchange	0	0	0
18	Joseph O’Neill	Reserve	0	0	0
19	Loko Pasifiki Tonga	Reserve	0	0	0
20	Isaiah Fagalilo	Reserve	0	0	0
21	Blake Lawrie	Reserve	0	0	0
22	Dylan Coutts	Reserve	0	0	0
23	Cyrus Stanley-Traill	Reserve	0	0	0
24	Ryan Hutchinson	Reserve	0	0	0
–	Team Total	–	6	2	28

Knights Team

Number	Player	Position	Tries	Goals	Points
1	Fletcher Hunt	Fullback	0	0	0
2	James Schiller	Winger	1	0	4
3	Kyle McCarthy	Centre	1	0	4
4	Wilson De Courcey	Centre	0	0	0
5	Greg Marzhew	Winger	0	0	0
6	Fletcher Sharpe	Five-Eighth	0	0	0
7	Sandon Smith	Halfback	0	0	0
8	Jacob Saifiti	Prop	0	0	0
9	Harrison Graham	Hooker	0	0	0
10	Trey Mooney	Prop	0	0	0
11	Thomas Cant	2nd Row	1	1	6
13	Tyson Frizell	Lock	0	0	0
14	Tyson Gamble	Interchange	0	0	0
15	Mat Croker	Interchange	0	0	0
16	Matthew Arthur	Interchange	0	0	0
17	Pasami Saulo	Interchange	0	0	0
18	Brodie Jones	2nd Row	1	0	4
20	Connor Votano	Reserve	0	0	0
21	Sosaia Latu	Reserve	0	0	0
22	Asu Kepaoa	Reserve	0	0	0
23	Logan Aoake	Reserve	0	0	0
24	Matthew Hunter	Reserve	0	0	0
25	Peter Hola	Reserve	0	0	0
26	Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana	Reserve	0	0	0
27	Francis Manuleleua	Reserve	0	0	0
28	Lachlan Crouch	Reserve	0	0	0
–	Team Total	–	4	1	18

Match Review