WINGERS

Zac Lomax v Daniel Tupou

Here we’ve got debutant Lomax coming off his breakout season taking on the old bull Tupou who will be playing his 20th Test match.

Lomax was absolutely filthy when this time last year new Dragons coach Shane Flanagan told him he’d be shifting from centre to the wing.

So filthy that he successfully negotiated an early release from his contract, but the move proved a masterstroke as Lomax delivered the best year of his career.

The 25-year-old’s red-hot form earned him a New South Wales debut before Australia’s coach Mal Meninga came calling with a green and gold jersey.

Tupou looked like he was heading into his final NRL season this year but strong form saw him sign a two-year extension in July that will take him through to the end of 2026.

The 33-year-old played his first Test for Tonga back in 2013 and also made a single appearance for the Kangaroos in 2014.

Tupou enjoys a six centimetre height advantage over Lomax but the latter is prolific in the air in what will be a fascinating battle under the high ball.

CENTRES

Tom Trbojevic v Paul Alamoti

With Dylan Edwards filling the No.1 jersey, Tom Trbojevic has been named in the centres, setting up a tasty clash with a player on the rise in Paul Alamoti.

The 20-year-old, who is set to make his Test debut for Tonga against Australia, enjoyed a stunning campaign with the Panthers, scoring a premiership-sealing try against the Storm in the grand final.

He became a lock in the four-time premier’s backline, only 12 months after he was deemed surplus to requirements at the Bulldogs and his career was hanging by a thread.

Alamoti’s manager was forced to email all other 16 NRL clubs in a bid to get his client a deal for 2025, and lucky for him the Panthers came knocking.

The gun centre’s defence was the biggest issue in his game at the Bulldogs, but as Penrith’s coaching staff seem to do, Alamoti became a machine on the left edge.

However, he faces a tough assignment coming up against arguably one of the game’s most destructive attacking players in Trbojevic.

The 2021 Dally M Medallist spent time on the sidelines with shoulder and hamstring injuries this year, which ruled him out of the Origin series.

The 28-year-old could also be given a license to roam the field under Meninga, similar to the way he swept around in attack under Brad Fittler for NSW in years gone by.

Regardless, he’s near impossible to tackle one-on-one and there’s not many tougher assignments in rugby league than negating the impact of ‘Turbo’ in full flight.

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