FIRST GLIMPSE AT 2018 NRL DRAW
TEDDY v the Tigers. Benny v the Broncos. James Tedesco and Ben Hunt, the most high-profile NRL recruits of 2018, have been gifted with a first round shot at sweet revenge.
A marketing dream for the NRL and ratings winner for Fox Sports, Tedesco will launch his Sydney Roosters career against his former club, the Wests Tigers, on Saturday afternoon, March 10, at ANZ Stadium. The clash will also feature the Tigers club debut of Dogs defector Josh Reynolds.
The Sunday Territorian has exclusively obtained every match-up for the opening round of the 2018 season. The NRL will release the entire draw this week.
And Tedesco’s much-anticipated tussle with the Tigers — the club he spent six years with — won’t be the only first round crowd-puller. Highlights from round one include:
* Hunt wearing the famous Red V of St George Illawarra in a first-up clash with former club Brisbane at Kogarah;
* The Knights debut of rising star fullback Kalyn Ponga against Manly’s Tom Trbojevic at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle;
* North Queensland hosting Cronulla, a first-up rematch after the Cowboys controversially eliminated the Sharks from this year’s finals;
* A Perth Stadium doubleheader on Saturday to mark the coaching debut of South Sydney’s Anthony Seibold against the Warriors and Canterbury’s new coach Dean Pay against premiers Melbourne;
* A Western Sydney derby between the Panthers and Eels on a Sunday at Penrith;
* Ricky Stuart’s Raiders travelling to the Gold Coast to tackle the Titans and their soon to be appointed coach.
St George Illawarra will launch the 2018 season at Kogarah against the Broncos on Thursday night, March 8.
The clash is loaded with headlines and salivating subplots, including former Canter- bury captain James Graham’s debut with the Dragons against his World Cup coach for England, Wayne Bennett.
The season-opener will also pit $1 million Broncos recruit and former Sharks centre Jack Bird against the Dragons – where he played as a junior.
But nothing excites Dragons fans more than the arrival from Brisbane of halfback Hunt, who will partner Gareth Widdop in the halves. Widdop and Hunt, who will feature in the World Cup for England and Australia respectively, are tasked with returning the Dragons to the finals.
The new-look Knights will host the Friday 6pm timeslot against Manly. Newcastle fans will be eager to catch a first glimpse of recruits Ponga, Aidan Guerra, Chris Heighington, Jacob Lillyman, Connor Watson and Tautau Moga.
Bulldogs fans will need to take the trip west to Perth to experience the club debut of Kiwi Test half Kieran Foran and Kangaroos prop Aaron Woods against the Storm.