St George Illawarra Dragons announce squad to face St Helens ahead of Club World Challenge

New signings Jacob Liddle, Ben Murdoch-Masila and Nick Lui-Tose are all in the St George Illawarra Dragons to face Super League champions St Helens at the Win Stadium, Wollongong.

The Australian club’s line-up will also include some exciting young playmaking talent from within the Dragons system among the 28 players named to face the Super League champions.

Skipper Ben Hunt will be rested after a big off-season that included a World Cup win with the Kangaroos.

Jack De Belin (calf), Jack Bird (knee), Jaydn Su’A, Jayden Sullivan and Aaron Woods (all hamstring) will also sit out this game.

Batemans Bay product Treigh Stewart gets a chance to start at fullback with Tyrell Sloan on All Stars duty while the absence of Hunt, Bird and Talatau Amone means development list hooker Connor Muhleisen gets a chance to start in the halves alongside Moses Mbye.

The club’s other three development players in forwards Josh Coric and Jackson Shereb plus winger Sione Finau all start from an extended bench. Train-and-trialists Haele Finau (hooker), Zac Herring (five-eighth), Jett Liu (prop), Alex Lobb (wing), Dylan Egan and Toby Couchman (both second row) also feature on the extended bench.

Ireland international Josh Cook has also joined the club from the Bulldogs on a train-and-trial contract and will feature on an extended bench.

Squad:

1. Treigh Stewart

2. Mathew Feagai

3. Moses Suli

4. Zac Lomax

5. Mikaele Ravalawa

6. Connor Muhleisen

7. Moses Mbye

8. Francis Molo

9. Jacob Liddle

10. Blake Lawrie

11. Ben Murdoch-Masila

12. William Burns

13. Jaiyden Hunt

Interchange:

14. Tautau Moga

15. Max Feagai

16. Michael Molo

17. Joshua Coric

18. Nick Lui-Toso

19. Dan Russell

20. Haele Finau

21. Sione Finau

22. Alex Lobb

23. Savelio Tamale

24. Jackson Shereb

25. Joshua Cook

26. Toby Couchman

27. Zac Herring