NRL Early Mail Round 1: How injury-hit Eels will line up, Nicho Hynes blow
The Parramatta Eels have a host of injury and suspension concerns heading into the opening round of the NRL season. Round one team updates here.
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Reagan Campbell-Gillard was quick to allay fears that he was headed to Parramatta’s burgeoning casualty ward after the Eels prop was spotted with ice strapped to his leg at training on Sunday morning.
The Eels’ forward stocks will be put to the test in Round 1 with Shaun Lane (jaw), Nathan Brown (hamstring) out injured and new recruit Matt Doorey racing the clock to overcome an ankle injury.
Ryan Matterson is also unavailable through suspension for the first three rounds of the season.
But Campbell-Gillard confirmed he was a certain starter against the Melbourne Storm at CommBank Stadium on Thursday night.
The Eels will need the Kangaroos prop fit and firing if they are to have a chance of ending the Storm’s opening-round dominance, having one every Round 1 clash over the past two decades.
“Everything is fine. It was just making sure I’m getting through this week to get ready for Thursday,” Campbell-Gillard said.
“I’m getting old so every little niggle is about taking precaution. To make sure I’m icing it and being a bit more professional than what I have been in the past. (I’m) getting on with age so the ice is becoming more frequent than previous years.”
The losses of Isaiah Papali’i and Marata Niukore to rivals Wests Tigers and New Zealand Warriors, respectively, has also put further pressure on Brad Arthur’s forward depth.
Bryce Cartwright, who suffered a jaw injury in a training mishap in January, is another option for the coach but like Doorey is no certainty to be fit for Thursday’s clash.
If Doorey receives the all clear to take the field, he’ll likely line up in the back-row alongside newcomer Jack Murchie and former Penrith Panther J’maine Hopgood to start at lock.
In the outside backs Maika Sivo (knee) and Waqa Blake (broken arm) will start on the left edge with no trial form if they are given the green light by medical staff.
Bailey Simonsson is unlikely to be available with a shoulder complaint and Sean Russell, who was the frontrunner to replace Simonsson, is forced to sit out round one through suspension. Arthur is likely to lean on either Zac Cini or Isaac Lumelume, who both played in week two of the trials against Newcastle.
But the casualty ward isn’t the only source of uncertainty at the club. Mitchell Moses’ self-imposed contract deadline is fast approaching but the halfback is yet to make a call on his playing future.
Moses, who is also being pursued by the Wests Tigers, wanted to have his contract sorted before the Storm game.
While the Eels are quietly confident the 28-year-old will stay, it’s understood Tigers officials are of the belief they are still in the running for his signature.
Skipper Clint Gutherson said Moses’ teammates had been getting in his ear about committing his future to the club.
“Look, I don’t know if it’s done yet. If it is, it is. But look, we are leaving that to Mitchell and no one has really spoken to him about it,” Gutherson said.
“We’ve obviously told him we’d love him to stay, we’ve tried to get into his ear to stay … and I think he wanted to try and get it sorted before round one.
“(There’s a) couple more days to go and hopefully that’s all sorted. But either way we’re looking forward to Thursday. He’s one of my close mates, I’d love for him to stay but we are here for footy.”
SHARKS SHOCK AS HYNES RACES CLOCK
—Michael Carayannis
Nicho Hynes has picked up a calf complaint and will be given next week to prove his fitness for round one.
Social media went into overdrive on Saturday that the Dally M star could miss the next two months with a mystery leg complaint.
However, Sharks officials are adamant Hynes remains a chance to play against South Sydney next Saturday night at PointsBet Stadium.
The Sharks halfback will be assessed again on Monday, where he is expected to take part in a team-wide media opportunity.
BULLDOGS MAKE BIGGEST ROUND 1 SELECTION SURPRISE
—Dean Ritchie
He will be the biggest selection shock of round one – a rising star already being touted as a future Canterbury captain.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo is poised to name young left-edge forward Jake Preston to debut against Manly next Saturday afternoon at 4 Pines Park.
Preston, 21, is a Manly junior who played for North Sydney and the Sydney Roosters before being lured to Belmore this year by club general manager of football, Phil Gould.
Ciraldo will formally name his round one team on Tuesday but club insiders suggest Preston, who secured valuable game time in last Sunday’s trial against Cronulla, will be named.
And already Gould is tipping Preston to become a future leader of the club.
“I think he is a potential leader of this club,” Gould said. “I think he is in the Josh Jackson mould in work ethic and professionalism.
“He will go a long in this game and I’d love it to be at the Bulldogs for as long as possible.”
Jake added: “I could just tell Gus believed in me and told me about the vision he had for the club.
“The club seems to be heading in the right direction so I jumped at the opportunity.”
Preston learned much of his craft at the Bears in NSW Cup while also representing the Roosters.
“Jake has put in so much hard to get where he is today,” said Preston’s father Mark.
“He has sacrificed a lot, trained hard and has done everything asked of him.
“And he is a good young kid who is very respectful.
“We’re hoping he will get picked for the Manly game but we will have to see what Cameron does with his side.”
Jake added: “My dad is the footy head of the family – he loves rugby league.
“He had me tackling the tackling bags when I was five or six years old and from there I fell in love with the game.
“I played one development game at Manly but I didn’t really get a look in and then I was actually scouted by someone at North Sydney.”
Preston was signed to Canterbury’s top-30 squad earlier this year.
Ciraldo is also tipped to name 19-year-old centre Paul Alamoti for the Manly game.
Alamoti is a Canterbury junior who has been touted as a future NRL star.
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