NRL 2022: Sydney Roosters, Canberra Raiders, Manly Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers, club to play pre-season double-headers

Author: Brad Walter NRL Senior Reporter
Timestamp: Wed 8 Dec 2021, 02:23 PM

The Roosters, Raiders, Sea Eagles and Tigers are set to feature in two pre-season double-headers to celebrate the game's return to NSW after the Telstra Premiership was relocated to Queensland in July due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The four clubs have announced details of the double-headers, which will be played at Leichhardt Oval on Friday, February 18 and Central Coast Stadium on Friday, February 25.

Sydney Roosters will play Canberra before Manly take on the Wests Tigers in the first double-header, with the Sea Eagles to meet the Raiders and the Roosters facing the Tigers a week later.

Roosters stars Luke Keary and Lindsay Collins are likely to make their returns after missing most of last season due to knee injuries, along with recruits Paul Momirovski and Connor Watson, who are each beginning their second stint with the club.

The Raiders have signed halfback Jamal Fogarty from the Titans and former Bulldogs forward Adam Elliott, while former Broncos forward Ethan Bullemor may have his first hit out for the Sea Eagles.

Raiders halfback Jamal Fogarty. ©Raiders Media/NRL Photos

Tigers fans are also expected to get their first look at English internationals Jackson Hastings and Oliver Gildart, former NSW Origin utility Tyrone Peachey and rugby union convert Junior Tupou wearing the club's colours.

The fixtures will be the only trials for the four clubs ahead of the 2022 competition, which kicks off on March 10 with Penrith opening their premiership defence against Manly at BlueBet Stadium.

Before then, the NRL will return to Sydney in style when the city hosts the annual All Stars clash between Indigenous and Māori men's and women's teams for the first time at CommBank Stadium on February 12.

An Indigenous versus Māori mixed touch match will also be played before the men's and women's All Stars games.

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The postponed 2020 NRLW competition will begin on February 27, with a triple-header at McDonald Jones Stadium featuring the Dragons versus Titans, Roosters versus Broncos and Knights versus Eels.

Another triple-header will be played at WIN Stadium on March 6, with the round two fixtures featuring the Knights versus Broncos, Roosters versus Titans and Dragons versus Eels.

The remaining three rounds will be played as double-headers with NRL games before semi-finals and the final, which will be staged on April 10 at a venue yet to be announced.