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.
Match: Kangaroos v Tonga XIII
Final -
home Team
Kangaroos
1st Position
away Team
Tonga XIII
2nd Position
Venue: CommBank Stadium, Sydney
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.
Match: Kangaroos v Tonga XIII
Final -
home Team
Kangaroos
away Team
Tonga XIII
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Kangaroos is number 1 Dylan EdwardsFullback for Tonga XIII is number 1 Lehi Hopoate
-
Winger for Kangaroos is number 2 Xavier CoatesWinger for Tonga XIII is number 2 Daniel Tupou
-
Centre for Kangaroos is number 3 Hamiso Tabuai-FidowCentre for Tonga XIII is number 4 Paul Alamoti
-
Centre for Kangaroos is number 4 Tom TrbojevicCentre for Tonga XIII is number 18 Tolutau Koula
-
Winger for Kangaroos is number 5 Zac LomaxWinger for Tonga XIII is number 5 Sione Katoa
-
Five-Eighth for Kangaroos is number 6 Tom DeardenFive-Eighth for Tonga XIII is number 6 Tuimoala Lolohea
-
Halfback for Kangaroos is number 7 Mitchell MosesHalfback for Tonga XIII is number 7 Isaiya Katoa
Forwards
-
Prop for Kangaroos is number 8 Patrick CarriganProp for Tonga XIII is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
-
Hooker for Kangaroos is number 9 Harry GrantHooker for Tonga XIII is number 9 Siliva Havili
-
Prop for Kangaroos is number 10 Lindsay CollinsProp for Tonga XIII is number 10 Felise Kaufusi
-
2nd Row for Kangaroos is number 11 Angus Crichton2nd Row for Tonga XIII is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu
-
2nd Row for Kangaroos is number 12 Hudson Young2nd Row for Tonga XIII is number 12 Eliesa Katoa
-
Lock for Kangaroos is number 13 Isaah YeoLock for Tonga XIII is number 13 Jason Taumalolo
Interchange
-
Interchange for Kangaroos is number 14 Matt BurtonInterchange for Tonga XIII is number 14 Soni Luke
-
Interchange for Kangaroos is number 15 Mitchell BarnettInterchange for Tonga XIII is number 16 Taniela Paseka
-
Interchange for Kangaroos is number 16 Reuben CotterInterchange for Tonga XIII is number 17 Siua Wong
-
Interchange for Kangaroos is number 17 Lindsay SmithInterchange for Tonga XIII is number 19 Keaon Koloamatangi
Reserves
-
Replacement for Kangaroos is number 18 Ben HuntReplacement 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.
