NRL Round 1 Team News: Bulldogs Head Into Dragons Den
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs side to take the field in the Club's first match of the 2025 NRL season has been named.
The Bulldogs head to Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in Kogarah to take on rivals St George Illawarra in what will be a stern test for Cameron Ciraldo's side. It also marks the first time since 2005 that the Bulldogs and Dragons have done battle to start the year.
Match: Dragons v Bulldogs
Round 1 -
home Team
Dragons
13th Position
away Team
Bulldogs
5th Position
Venue: Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Sydney
Bulldogs Members and supporters will be treated to a double-header with the NSW Cup side facing the Dragons at 3:05pm.
In team news, Sam Hughes has been ruled out with Daniel Suluka-Fifita set to make his Club debut in his place.
Sitili Tupouniua is also set to make his Club debut from the interchange bench in his first outing in the Blue and White since arriving in the pre-season, while Kurt Mann lines up for his first NRL match since Round 25, 2024 in a big boost for the side.
Both Ciraldo and Reed Mahoney will reach the 50-game milestone for the Club, while Marcelo Montoya will play his first match as a Bulldogs since the 2020 season.
Don't let a bet take you away from the match - Reclaim the Game. Be gamble aware.
The Bulldogs' Round 1 line up is as follows:
| No. | Player | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connor Tracey | Penny’s Crispy Pork Crackling |
| 2 | Blake Wilson | Corellian |
| 3 | Bronson Xerri | Hy-Tec Concrete |
| 4 | Stephen Crichton (c) | Juice Lab & Co Bankstown |
| 5 | Marcelo Montoya | Chemistworks |
| 6 | Matt Burton | PPC Moulding Services |
| 7 | Toby Sexton | Sydney City Building Group |
| 8 | Max King | Intello IT Solutions |
| 9 | Reed Mahoney | Platinum Rehabilitation Group |
| 21 | Daniel Suluka-Fifita | Brushwood Engineering Group |
| 11 | Viliame Kikau | Allied X |
| 12 | Jacob Preston | Guardian Venue Management International |
| 13 | Kurt Mann | Dental on Evaline |
| Interchange | Recovery Partners | |
| 14 | Bailey Hayward | Zoom Energy |
| 15 | Sitili Tupouniua | Lira Financial |
| 16 | Harry Hayes | Khalil Lawyers |
| 17 | Jaeman Salmon | Waterview |
| Reserves | ||
| 19 | Blake Taaffe | |
| 20 | Kurtis Morrin |
| Coaching Staff | Name | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| Head Coach | Cameron Ciraldo | Kumho Tyre |
