Round 25 NRL Late Mail: All the latest team news and changes
MELBOURNE have lost two more starters for their games against Penrith with Cameron Munster and Brodie Croft withdrawing — keep up to date with all the latest team news and changes for the final round of the NRL.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
MELBOURNE have lost two more starters for their clash with Penrith with Cameron Muntser and Brodie Croft ruled out on the morning of the match.
The pair failed late fitness tests, meaning the Storm have now lost three of their four spine players.
Scott Drinkwater will make his NRL debut with Ryley Jacks and Jahrome Hughes to slot in at halfback and five-eighth.
Billy Slater has already been ruled out due to personal issues.
In other Round 25 NRL late mail:
* Storm veteran Ryan Hoffman is on the brink of an extraordinary comeback but Billy Slater is out due to personal issues.
* Penrith coach Cameron Ciraldo will wait until game day before making a final call on whether hooker Wayde Egan (knee) will play against Melbourne
* In a boost for the Panthers, veteran playmaker James Maloney is a certainty to return from a knee issue
WARRIORS V RAIDERS
Friday 31 August, Mt Smart Stadium, 6pm
Warriors: 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2 David Fusitu’a, 3 Peta Hiku, 4 Solomone Kata, 5 Ken Maumalo, 6 Mason Lino, 7 Shaun Johnson, 8 James Gavet, 9 Issac Luke, 10 Agnatius Paasi, 11 Adam Blair, 12 Tohu Harris, 13 Simon Mannering
Interchange: 14 Jazz Tevaga, 15 Isaiah Papali’i 16 Bunty Afoa, 17 Gerard Beale
Reserves: 18 Leivaha Pulu 20 Anthony Gelling 21 Chris Satae, 22 Karl Lawton
Players cut: To come
Late mail: To come
Raiders: 1 Brad Abbey, 2 Nick Cotric 3 Michael Oldfield, 4 Joseph Leilua, 5 Jordan Rapana 6 Blake Austin, 7 Sam Williams 8 Dunamis Lui, 9 Josh Hodgson, 10 Shannon Boyd, 11 Iosia Soliola, 12 Elliott Whitehead, 13 Josh Papalii
Interchange: 14 Emre Guler, 15 Junior Paulo, 16 Siliva Havili, 17 Luke Bateman
Reserves: 18 Jack Murchie, 19 Liam Knight, 20 Makahesi Makatoa, 21 Aidan Sezer
Players cut: To come
Late mail: No changes expected with Aidan Sezer (hamstring) again set to miss out after being named in reserves.
STORM V PANTHERS
Friday 31 August, AAMI Park, 7.55pm
Storm: 22. Scott Drinkwater, 2. Justin Olam, 3. Cheyse Blair, 4. Curtis Scott, 5. Josh Addo-Carr, 19. Jahrome Hughes, 21. Ryley Jacks, 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Cameron Smith, 10. Tim Glasby, 11. Felise Kaufusi, 12. Joe Stimson, 13. Dale Finucane
Interchange: 14. Kenneath Bromwich, 15. Christian Welch, 16. Tui Kamikamica, 17. Sam Kasiano
Reserves: 18. Ryan Hoffman, 19. Jahrome Hughes, 20. Albert Vete, 21. Ryley Jacks
Players cut: 1. Billy Slater, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Brodie Croft
Late mail: Star Billy Slater (family illness) is out with Scott Drinkwater to replace him at fullback. Cameron Munster and Ryley Jacks are both out after failing fitness tests and will be replaced by Jahrome Hughes and Ryley Jacks. Veteran Ryan Hoffman is has “ticked all the boxes” and is on the brink of an extraordinary comeback from a hamstring injury.
Panthers: 1. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 2. Josh Mansour, 3. Waqa Blake, 4. Tyrone Peachey, 5. Christian Crichton, 6. James Maloney (capt), 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. Trent Merrin, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 11. Viliame Kikau, 12. Isaah Yeo, 13. James Fisher-Harris
Interchange: 14. Tyrone May, 15. Moses Leota, 16. Corey Harawira-Naera, 17. James Tamou
Reserves: 18. Sione Katoa, 19. Jack Hetherington, 20. Kaide Ellis, 21. Tyrone Phillips
Players cut: To come
Late mail: To come
Players cut: To come
Late mail: Coach Cameron Ciraldo says he will wait until game day before making a final call on whether hooker Wayde Egan will play against Melbourne on Friday. While veteran playmaker James Maloney is a certainty to return from a knee issue, Egan is in doubt for the NRL clash against the Storm after picking up his own knee problem last week. Sione Katoa is on standby for Egan. “We’ve got to check on him again today. But there’s a few bumps and bruises, but every team’s got them this time of the year,” Ciraldo said on Thursday.
CASUALTY WARD: Injury carnage strikes SC final
KNIGHTS V DRAGONS
Saturday 1 September, McDonald Jones Stadium, 3pm
Knights: 1. Nick Meaney, 2. Ken Sio, 3. Sione Mata’utia, 4. Cory Dennis, 5. Shaun Kenny-Dowall, 6. Jack Cogger, 7. Mitchell Pearce (capt), 8. Herman Ese’ese, 9. Danny Levi, 10. Daniel Saifiti, 11. Jamie Buhrer (capt), 12. Aidan Guerra, 13. Mitchell Barnett
Interchange: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Chris Heighington 16. Jacob Lillyman 17. Josh King
Reserves: 18. JJ Felise 19. Pasami Saulo 20. Brock Lamb 21. Luke Yates
Players cut: To come
Late mail: The NRL has cleared young Tom Starling for his NRL debut. Newcastle coach Nathan Brown will discuss a possible full-time shift to No. 6 with Kalyn Ponga for next season, as the Knights aim to take the next step towards finals football.
Dragons: 1 Matt Dufty, 2 Nene MacDonald, 3 Zac Lomax, 4 Tim Lafai, 5 Jordan Pereira, 6 Kurt Mann, 7 Ben Hunt, 8 James Graham, 9 Cameron McInnes, 10 Leeson Ah Mau, 11 Tyson Frizell, 12 Tariq Sims, 13 Jack de Belin
Interchange: 14 Jeremy Latimore, 15 Jai Field, 16 Blake Lawrie, 17 Luciano Leilua
Reserves: 18 Reece Robson, 19 Patrick Herbert, 20 Hame Sele, 21 Jacob Host
Players cut: To come
Late mail: Hooker Cameron McInnes (concussion) must pass protocol following a heavy knock last week.
TITANS V COWBOYS
Saturday 1 September, Cbus Super Stadium, 5.30pm
Titans: 1. Alexander Brimson, 2. Anthony Don, 3. Konrad Hurrell, 4. Brenko Lee, 5. Phillip Sami, 6. Kane Elgey, 7. Ash Taylor, 8. Jarrod Wallace, 9. Nathan Peats, 10. Ryan James (capt), 11. Kevin Proctor, 12. Keegan Hipgrave, 13. Jai Arrow
Interchange: 14. Mitch Rein, 15. Moeaki Fotuaika, 16. Jack Stockwell, 17. Will Matthews
Reserves: 18. Bryce Cartwright, 19. Jai Whitbread, 20 Leilani Latu, 21 Brendan Elliot
Players cut: To come
Late mail: To come
Cowboys: 1. Ben Hampton, 2 Kyle Feldt, 3 Justin O’Neill, 4 Kane Linnett, 5 Gideon Gela-Mosby, 6 Te Maire Martin, 7 Johnathan Thurston, 8 Matthew Scott, 9 Jake Granville, 10 Jordan McLean, 11 Gavin Cooper, 12 Coen Hess, 13 Jason Taumalolo
Interchange: 14 Ethan Lowe 15 John Asiata 16 Shaun Fensom 17 Scott Bolton
Reserves: 18 Francis Molo 19 Jake Clifford 20 Javid Bowen 21 Shane Wright
Players cut: To come
Late mail: Te Maire Martin (ankle) is right to return with Jake Clifford to play Queensland Cup.
EELS V ROOSTERS
Saturday 1 September, ANZ Stadium, 7.45pm
Eels: 1. Jarryd Hayne, 2 Bevan French, 3 Michael Jennings, 4 Clinton Gutherson, 5 George Jennings, 6 Corey Norman, 7 Mitchell Moses, 8 Siosaia Vave, 9 Reed Mahoney, 10 Tim Mannah, 11 Marata Niukore, 12 Brad Takairangi, 13 Tepai Moeroa
Interchange: 14 Jaeman Salmon, 15 Kane Evans, 16 David Gower 17 Oregon Kaufusi
Reserves: 18 Ray Stone, 19 Cameron King, 20 Josh Hoffman 21 Greg Leleisiuao
Players cut: To come
Late mail: To come
Roosters: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3 Latrell Mitchell, 4 Joseph Manu, 5 Blake Ferguson, 6 Luke Keary, 7 Cooper Cronk, 8 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 9 Jake Friend, 10 Siosiua Taukeiaho, 11 Boyd Cordner, 12 Isaac Liu, 13 Victor Radley
Interchange: 14 Nat Butcher 15 Zane Tetevano 16 Mitchell Aubusson 17 Ryan Matterson
Reserves: 18 Lindsay Collins, 19 Sean O’Sullivan 20 Paul Momirovski 21 Kurt Baptiste
Players cut: To come
Late mail: To come
BULLDOGS V SHARKS
Sunday 2 September, ANZ Stadium, 2pm
Bulldogs: 1 Will Hopoate, 2 Brett Morris, 3 Josh Morris, 4 Kerrod Holland, 5 Reimis Smith, 6 Lachlan Lewis, 7 Matt Frawley, 8 Aiden Tolman, 9 Michael Lichaa, 10 David Klemmer, 11 Josh Jackson, 12 Rhyse Martin, 13 Adam Elliott
Interchange: 14 Jeremy Marshall-King, 15 Danny Fualalo, 16 Ofahiki Ogden, 17 Greg Eastwood
Reserves: 19 Francis Tualau, 20 Fa’amanu Brown, 21 Renouf Toomaga 23 John Olive
Players cut: To come
Late mail: To come
Sharks: 1 Valentine Holmes, 2 Sosaia Feki, 3 Josh Dugan, 4 Kurt Capewell, 5 Edrick Lee, 6 Matt Moylan, 7 Chad Townsend, 8 Andrew Fifita, 9 Jayden Brailey, 10 Matt Prior, 11 Luke Lewis, 12 Wade Graham, 13 Paul Gallen
Interchange: 14 Scott Sorensen, 15 James Segeyaro, 16 Aaron Woods, 17 Jason Bukuya
Reserves: 18 Joseph Paulo, 19 Ava Seumanufagai, 20 Jesse Ramien, 21 Kyle Flanagan
Players cut: To come
Late mail: To come
BRONCOS V SEA EAGLES
Sunday 2 September, Suncorp Stadium, 4.10pm
Broncos: 1. Darius Boyd, 2. Corey Oates, 3. James Roberts, 4. Jordan Kahu, 5. Jamayne Isaako, 6. Anthony Milford, 7. Kodi Nikorima, 8. Addin Fonua-Blake, 9. Jake Turpin. 10. Sam Thaiday, 11. Alex Glenn, 12. Tevita Pangai Jr, 13 Josh McGuire
Interchange: 14. Patrick Mago, 15. Joe Ofahengaue, 16. Korbin Sims, 17. David Fifita
Reserves: 18. Sam Tagataese, 19. Todd Murphy, 20. Kotoni Staggs, 21. Jack Bird
Players cut: To come
Late mail: Utility Jack Bird (sternum) is highly unlikely despite being named on an extended bench. Bird is back running at training but is not expected to be risked in 2018, with the former Shark believed to be still sweating on follow up scans on his sternum operation.
Roberts also sounded resigned to not seeing his teammate in action again until the 2019 pre-season. “He didn’t come to us 100 per cent but he will be right,” Roberts said of Bird, who arrived at Brisbane with a shoulder complaint. “But he will be ready to go once the pre-season starts.”
Manly: 1. Tom Trbojevic, 2. Matthew Wright, 3. Moses Suli, 4. Brian Kelly, 5. Brad Parker, 6. Dylan Walker, 7. Daly Cherry-Evans (c), 8. Addin Fonua-Blake, 9. Manase Fainu, 10. Martin Taupau, 11. Joel Thompson, 12. Shaun Lane, 13. Jake Trbojevic
Interchange: 14 Trent Hodkinson, 15. Kelepi Tanginoa, 16. Jack Gosiewski, 17. Taniela Paseka
Reserves: 18. Frank Winterstein, 19. Tevita Funa, 20. Tom Wright, 21. Toafofoa Sipley
Players cut: To come
Late mail: To come
Originally published as Round 25 NRL Late Mail: All the latest team news and changes
Broncos’ Bellamy blunder: How Brisbane fumbled Bennett successor
It’s the sliding doors moment that cost Brisbane the signing of Craig Bellamy and put Melbourne on the path to a two-decade dynasty. See the inside story of how the Broncos botched their Wayne Bennett succession plan.
Grand Final late mail: Massive boost for Panthers as star cleared
The Penrith Panthers have received a massive boost on the eve of their grand final clash against the Melbourne Storm, with a star forward cleared to play after overcoming injury.