'Play our best team': Dragons all-in as Knights halves set for shootout
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Daniel Atkinson is set for his first appearance in the Red V as Knights duo Fletcher Sharpe and Sandon Smith battle it out for a place in the halves in a high-stakes start to the Witzer Pre-Season Challenge.
Jubilee Oval will host a double-header featuring the four teams travelling to Las Vegas on February 7, with the coaches each taking a different approach to the game.
St George Illawarra mentor Shane Flanagan isn't wasting any time preparing his side for the season opener and is set to buck the trend by fielding a near full-strength side against the Knights.
Las Vegas Game Plan: Dragons young forwards ready to fire
Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook is taking a mixed approach, with some of his more experienced players to sit out the clash before returning to the field a week later against the Bulldogs.
New recruit Dylan Brown will be held back for the Canterbury clash, but Sharpe and Smith, the two men battling it out for the right to partner the Kiwis playmaker in the halves, will take to the field at Jubilee Oval.
The Cowboys and Bulldogs are both looking to field youthful squads before the senior players return the following week.
Dragons supporters have been forced to wait more than a year to see Atkinson in a St George Illawarra jersey, after he signed with the club in December 2024.
Flanagan's move will give fans their first glimpse of the playmaker's new halves partnership with Kyle Flanagan as they look to build towards a clash with the Bulldogs in Las Vegas.
"I'm going to pick my team and not in relation to who we're playing or what sort of team the opposition is going to put out," Flanagan told NRL.com. "We're going to Vegas, we have a new combination in the halves and some new forwards in our team.
"We'll play our best team in the first half of trial one and then about 20-30 minutes in trial two. We're hoping to get about 70-80 minutes over the two trials into what we're thinking is our best team."
Dragons players have embraced Flanagan's approach, with Atkinson eager to spend as much time as possible building a connection with new halves partner Kyle Flanagan.
The 25-year-old has spent the past few years sitting behind Cronulla halves Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall.
Now he will step up as the primary playmaker and St George Illawarra are hopeful he will kickstart an attack that struggled at times last year.
The combination with Flanagan will be crucial and Atkinson is looking forward to testing their connection under match conditions.
'You want to be in those moments': Atkinson thriving in new home
"We need all the game time we can get before Round 1," Atkinson said. "Come Round 1, the season's started so you don't have time to catch up.
"It's important we have that time together. We've got to play to our game and play to our strengths. He's got strengths, I've got strengths and if we can combine them we'll be a good pair."
Newcastle are taking a cautious approach to star fullback Kalyn Ponga, with the Dally M winner to sit out the side's two trial matches as he returns from a Lisfranc injury suffered last season.
The move is designed to ensure Ponga is at his best during the Knights' clash with North Queensland in Vegas.
Las Vegas tactics: Knights
The biggest talking point in the Hunter this summer has revolved around who will partner Brown in the halves.
Sharpe impressed in 12 games at five-eighth before his 2025 season was cut short by serious kidney and spleen injuries. Smith arrived in Newcastle late last year, having left the Roosters following their recruitment of Daly Cherry-Evans.
The pair offer different skillsets, with Smith more of a game manager and Sharpe an attacking threat.
Holbrook has tested multiple combinations throughout the summer training block and said performances in the Pre-Season Challenge will help determine who partners Brown in the halves at Allegiant Stadium.
"Dylan's definitely in the halves," Holbrook said. "He's the one spot that's locked in there and then it's up to Sandon and Sharpie to grab the other spot.
"Training's been easy at the moment because we're moving guys around because we haven't had Kalyn training with us. We've been able to move them all around and that's what we'll do in the trials. At the end of the trials our best options will pop out and we'll run with that."
Rugby league is back on February 7 when the Witzer Pre-Season Challenge kicks off. Catch all the action live on Fox Sports and Kayo.
