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Kangaroos v Tonga XIII: Koloamatangi a late in; Debut for Smith

The Kangaroos and Tonga bring the curtain down on the 2024 season with a mouth-watering showdown for the Pacific Cup title at CommBank Stadium on Sunday.

After a shock 30-0 loss to the Kiwis in last year's final, the Kangaroos get a shot at redemption, but they will have to get past a Tonga outfit full of confidence after a stunning 25-24 win over New Zealand on Saturday.

With Addin Fonua-Blake and Jason Taumalolo combining for 422 run metres and young gun Isaiya Katoa showing maturity beyond his years to ice the win, Tonga earned themselves a shot at history with their memorable triumph over the defending Cup champions.

Tonga have given themselves an opportunity to become the first Pacific nation to win the final of a major tournament and they can count on vocal and passionate support from the red army at CommBank Stadium.

Mal Meninga's Australians will need to match Tonga's intensity in the early forward battles and then look to finish over the top of their rivals in the closing 20 minutes.

Tonga and Australia have met just three times previously, with Tonga winning in 2019 when Taumalolo led his team to a 16-12 triumph at Eden Park, while the green and gold got the job done at Mt Smart Stadium in 2018 and again in the opening week of this year's Pacific Championships in Brisbane.

Team News

Kangaroos: Canberra's Hudson Young moves into the starting side in place of the injured Cameron Murray (wrist) while Panthers premiership winner Lindsay Smith joins the bench for his Test debut. Ben Hunt will again serve as the replacement player, with Australia taking the field as named mid-week.

Tonga XIII: Rabbitohs enforcer Keaon Koloamatangi, who had been questionable as he awaited the birth of his child, joined the bench an hour out from kick-off and adds a huge boost of experience for coach Kristian Woolf, who earlier on Saturday replaced Moses Suli with Tolutau Koula in the centres. Koloamatangi's inclusion means there's no room for Sitili Tupouniua, who instead becomes the replacement player. 

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Kangaroos is number 1 Dylan Edwards
    Fullback for Tonga XIII is number 1 Lehi Hopoate
  • Winger for Kangaroos is number 2 Xavier Coates
    Winger for Tonga XIII is number 2 Daniel Tupou
  • Centre for Kangaroos is number 3 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
    Centre for Tonga XIII is number 4 Paul Alamoti
  • Centre for Kangaroos is number 4 Tom Trbojevic
    Centre for Tonga XIII is number 18 Tolutau Koula
  • Winger for Kangaroos is number 5 Zac Lomax
    Winger for Tonga XIII is number 5 Sione Katoa
  • Five-Eighth for Kangaroos is number 6 Tom Dearden
    Five-Eighth for Tonga XIII is number 6 Tuimoala Lolohea
  • Halfback for Kangaroos is number 7 Mitchell Moses
    Halfback for Tonga XIII is number 7 Isaiya Katoa

Forwards

  • Prop for Kangaroos is number 8 Patrick Carrigan
    Prop for Tonga XIII is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
  • Hooker for Kangaroos is number 9 Harry Grant
    Hooker for Tonga XIII is number 9 Siliva Havili
  • Prop for Kangaroos is number 10 Lindsay Collins
    Prop for Tonga XIII is number 10 Felise Kaufusi
  • 2nd Row for Kangaroos is number 11 Angus Crichton
    2nd Row for Tonga XIII is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu
  • 2nd Row for Kangaroos is number 12 Hudson Young
    2nd Row for Tonga XIII is number 12 Eliesa Katoa
  • Lock for Kangaroos is number 13 Isaah Yeo
    Lock for Tonga XIII is number 13 Jason Taumalolo

Interchange

  • Interchange for Kangaroos is number 14 Matt Burton
    Interchange for Tonga XIII is number 14 Soni Luke
  • Interchange for Kangaroos is number 15 Mitchell Barnett
    Interchange for Tonga XIII is number 16 Taniela Paseka
  • Interchange for Kangaroos is number 16 Reuben Cotter
    Interchange for Tonga XIII is number 17 Siua Wong
  • Interchange for Kangaroos is number 17 Lindsay Smith
    Interchange for Tonga XIII is number 19 Keaon Koloamatangi

Reserves

  • Replacement for Kangaroos is number 18 Ben Hunt
    Replacement for Tonga XIII is number 15 Sitili Tupouniua

Match Officials

  • Referee: Ashley Klein
  • Touch Judge: Drew Oultram
  • Senior Review Official: Liam Kennedy

Last updated:

Stat Attack

  • The Kangaroos have not been beaten on home soil since 2015.
  • Tonga are aiming for back-to-back Test wins for the first time since World Cup 2021.
  • The Kangaroos have outscored their Pacific Cup opposition 40-10 in 2024.
  •  Tonga have won three of their last four Tests in Australia.
  • Kangaroos centre Tom Trbojevic has scored four tries in six Test appearances,

Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.

Acknowledgement of Country

Canberra Raiders respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.