NRL Early Mail Round 14: All the latest team news ahead of Tuesday’s team announcements
ROOSTERS teammates aren’t confident Mitchell Pearce and Latrell Mitchell will face the Storm. Get all the latest Round 14 team news in NRL Early Mail.
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GET all the latest team news in the Round 14 edition of NRL Early Mail.
In the biggest team news so far:
* Tigers hooker Matt Ballin’s season is over, with the veteran to undergo a second knee reconstruction. Robbie Farah will start at No.9 against the Rabbitohs
* Roosters teammates believe halfback Mitchell Pearce (calf) and fullback Latrell Mitchell (ankle) won’t be rushed back to face the ladder-leading Storm on Saturday;
* Manly star Daly Cherry-Evans will be out for at least a month with an ankle injury;
* St George Illawarra forward Jack de Belin could make a surprise return from a shoulder injury;
* Maroons State of Origin stars Corey Oates and Matt Gillet will return for the Broncos after being rested last week;
* Cowboys five-eighth Michael Morgan will return for the top-of-the-table clash with Cronulla after being rested last week due to concussion;
* Raiders fullback Jack Wighton has taken the early guilty plea and will be suspended for the blockbuster against Brisbane on Thursday;
*· The Eels will be forced to field either a makeshift or rookie halves partner alongside Corey Norman;
* Blockbusting centre Konrad Hurrell is tipped to make his Titans debut at right centre in place of Nathan Davis
BRONCOS v RAIDERS
7.50pm Thursday at Suncorp Stadium
Broncos: Winger Corey Oates and back-rower Matt Gillet will return for the Broncos after being rested last week, with Lachlan Maranta to dropt out and Sam Thaiday to start from the bench. Gillett’s return may see Tevita Pangai Jnr drop out, but the youngster has impressed in the past couple of weeks.
Raiders: Canberra will be without fullback Jack Wighton and prop Shannon Boyd due to suspension. Boyd is replaced easily enough, with Paul Vaughan expected to come straight back into the team. Shaun Fensom is also expected to return at lock with Josh Papalii to start in the second-row ahead of Sia Soliola. Fullback is another matter — Jordan Rapana is currently the favourite to switch to the back. Winger Edrick Lee will not return from a hamstring complaint, meaning that Papua New Guinea international Kato Ottio could make his first grade debut.
TIGERS v RABBITOHS
7.50pm at ANZ Stadium
Tigers: NSW Origin star Robbie Farah will start at hooker after being rested from last round’s loss to the Roosters. Coach Jason Taylor on Sunday wouldn’t commit to rushing Farah straight back into the starting side, but following the news that Matt Ballin’s season is over due to a knee injury, Farah will wear the No.9 jersey against the Rabbitohs.
Rabbitohs: No serious injuries to report for the Rabbitohs but Michael Maguire might be tempted to make some changes after the Bunnies let the match against the Titans slip through their fingers. Luke Keary could be in some doubt with a hip knock.
KNIGHTS v WARRIORS
3pm Saturday at Hunter Stadium
Knights: Outside back Nathan Ross is in doubt with a calf injury. Should he be unavailable Akulia Uate or Pat Mata’utia would come in. Danny Levi will need to pass a concussion test to play. Korbin Sims returns from suspension.
Warriors: No changes expected for the Warriors after their thumping win over Brisbane.
EELS v TITANS
5.30pm Saturday at TIO Stadium, Darwin
Eels: The Eels halves are in complete disarray. Kieran Foran, Mitch Cornish and Luke Kelly have all been struck down by injury, leaving the blue and golds with few options. David Gower, Clint Gutherson and Kaysa Pritchard are candidates to partner Corey Norman in the short-term while young halves Michael Doolan and Troy Dargan don’t have a first-grade game between them. John Folau and Vai Toutai are both candidates to fill in for Brad Takairangi (hamstring) at centre.
Titans: Prop David Shillington is a week-to-week prospect for the Titans. If he returns, expect Luke Douglas to shift back to the bench and Eddy Pettybourne to drop out of the side. Konrad Hurrell is tipped to make his Titans debut at right centre in place of Nathan Davis.
ROOSTERS v STORM
7.30pm Saturday at Allianz Stadium
Roosters: Roosters teammates believe halfback Mitchell Pearce (calf) and fullback Latrell Mitchell (ankle) won’t be rushed back to face Melbourne.
Pearce was a late withdrawal from last Sunday’s Tigers clash due to a slight calf strain but is unlikely to be risked against the ladder-leading Storm on Saturday as he recovers from a calf strain.
“There was speculation that he had to try and get through training first,” Roosters prop Sam Moa said.
Latrell Mitchell injured his ankle in the win over Wests Tigers, and teammate Aidan
Guerra said it was unlikely the 18-year-old would play against Melbourne on Saturday.
“I think he’s alright. It’s one of those injuries - anything you haven’t had before you automatically think the worst. It’s about him and his rehab on that foot,” Guerra said.
“I wouldn’t think he’d play, but never know.”
If Mitchell misses out the Roosters will be forced to turn to either former Warrior Omar Slaimankhel or switch Blake Ferguson to fullback. If Mitchell Pearce returns from a calf injury, Jackson Hastings could play custodian for one week while the dumped Jayden Nikorima also has some experience in the position. Dylan Napa will fight a careless high tackle charge at the judiciary. If he’s unsuccessful he’ll miss a week through suspension. Fellow forward Isaac Liu is unlikely to recover from an ankle injury.
Storm: Winger Marika Koroibete left the win over the Panthers early with concussion but is expected to be fit to play.
SEA EAGLES v PANTHERS
4pm Sunday at Broovkale Oval
Sea Eagles: Star halfback Daly Cherry-Evans will miss a month with an ankle injury and the news doesn’t get much better with Jamie Lyon out for two weeks with a hamstring complaint. That means Dylan Walker could push back to the halves alongside Api Koroisau, while Pita Godinet could also slot in at the scrumbase. Prop Brenton Lawrence went off with a pectoral injury against the Raiders and went for scans on Monday with the results still to come.
Panthers: Young gun Nathan Cleary could drop back to under-20s with Tyrone Peachey to join Jamie Soward in the halves and Isaah Yeo moving out to the centres. Winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was taken to hospital for scans on his shoulder after a shot from Storm winger Marika Koroibete and if he isn’t fit the Panthers outside back stocks will be pushed to breaking point. Sam McKendry has taken the early guilty plea and will miss two matches for a shoulder charge on Melbourne’s Cameron Munster. He will likely be replaced in the starting side by Suaia Matagi.
DRAGONS v BULLDOGS
4pm Monday at ANZ Stadium
Dragons: Forward Jack de Belin could make a surprise return from a shoulder injury. The 25-year-old hasn’t given up hope of taking his place against a Bulldogs side who eliminated the Dragons in week one of last year’s finals. Josh Dugan (elbow) is unlikely to make a shock comeback.
Bulldogs: Hooker Michael Lichaa has been hit with a dangerous throw charge by the NRL match review committee, but can escape a ban with an early guilty plea.
SHARKS v COWBOYS
7pm Monday at Southern Cross Group Stadium
Sharks: Winger Sosaia Feki left the field in the second half of Monday night’s win over the Bulldogs with a groin strain but is expected to be fit.
Cowboys: Five-eighth Michael Morgan will slot straight back in at five-eighth at the expense of Ray Thompson. Back-rower John Asiata may retain a spot on the bench ahead of Patrick Kaufusi after his impressive showing last week.
Originally published as NRL Early Mail Round 14: All the latest team news ahead of Tuesday’s team announcements
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