NRL Round 4 Late Mail: Tyrell Sloan under threat at Dragons

The Dragons are considering a major change to their spine ahead of Sunday’s match, with an teen sensation facing the axe.

St Georgie Illawarra are considering a surprise shake-up to their starting side which could see Moses Mbye switched to fullback and Jack Bird to five-eighth.

The Dragons are hoping veteran Andrew McCullough has recovered in time from an elbow injury to take his place at hooker.

If he does that could mean a dramatic rejigging of the Dragons’ side which would leave youngster Tyrell Sloan in the firing line as the Dragons try and reignite their season.

“Andrew looks like he might be right,” coach Anthony Griffin said. “He had a good day on Thursday. We’re hopeful he will be right.”

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Tyrell Sloan may face the selection axe. Picture: Getty Images.

Mbye played the opening two games off the interchange bench before starting at hooker in place of the injured McCullough last week. He spent time in the off-season training at fullback. Bird is set to start at five-eighth with Junior Amone on the interchange bench.

St George Illawarra will also welcome back Aaron Woods from a hamstring injury to play the Eels.

Fellow prop George Burgess has missed selection and instead will play NSW Cup against the Eels on Sunday afternoon.

“George is going to play,” Griffin said. “He will play NSW Cup. He didn’t play last week. The guys above him have been good for three weeks. We need to get some minutes into him. He will play 50 minutes in the NSW Cup.”

The Dragons head into the match having lost their past two games including a poor performance against the Sharks last week.

“Our focus is on ourselves,” Griffin said. “Improving what we did last week our first two weeks of the season but we were disappointed with what we did last week.

“(The Eels) are very good. Particularly against Melbourne. They put 28 on Melbourne. That’s really hard to do.”

ROUND 4 LATE MAIL

STORM v BULLDOGS

Sunday, 4.05pm, AAMI Park, Melbourne

STORM

1. Ryan Papenhuyzen, 19. Nick Meaney, 3. Reimis Smith, 4. Justin Olam, 5. Xavier Coates, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Harry Grant, 10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11. Felise Kaufusi, 12. Kenny Bromwich, 13. Josh King

Bench: 14. Brandon Smith, 15. Alec MacDonald, 16. Trent Loiero, 17. Tepai Moeroa

Reserves: 21. Will Warbrick, 23. Tyran Wishart

Late Mail: With Brandon Smith’s versatility, Craig Bellamy can opt for numerous different options with his starting pack. I’m expecting Smith to start at lock, with Josh King moving to prop, and Nelson Asofa-Solomona playing off the bench. Chris Smith will also come into contention for a bench spot. There has been one change 24-hours before kick-off, with Dean Ieremia out with a hamstring injury, with Nick Meaney taking his sport in the starting side.

BULLDOGS

1. Matt Dufty, 2. Braiden Burns, 20. Jake Averillo, 4. Brent Naden, 5. Josh Addo-Carr, 6. Matt Burton, 7. Brandon Wakeham, 8. Luke Thompson, 9. Jeremy Marshall-King, 10. Paul Vaughan, 11. Corey Waddell, 12. Tevita Pangai Jr, 13. Josh Jackson

Bench: 14. Bailey Biondi-Odo, 15. Chris Patolo, 16. Max King, 17. Ava Seumanufagai

Reserves: 19. Reece Hoffman, 21. Joe Stimson

Late Mail: The Bulldogs have one change 24-hours before kickoff, with Aaron Schoupp out of the side and replaced by Jake Averillo.

Harry Grant slots back in at hooker for the Storm. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

EELS v DRAGONS

Sunday, 6.15pm, CommBank Stadium, Sydney

EELS

1. Clint Gutherson, 2. Waqa Blake, 3. Will Penisini, 4. Tom Opacic, 5. Bailey Simonsson, 6. Dylan Brown, 7. Mitchell Moses, 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 9. Reed Mahoney, 10. Junior Paulo, 11. Shaun Lane, 12. Isaiah Papali’i, 13. Nathan Brown

Bench: 14. Makahesi Makatoa, 15. Ryan Matterson, 16. Bryce Cartwright, 17. Oregon Kaufusi

Reserves: 19. Wiremu Greig, 20. Hayze Perham

Late Mail: No major changes expected at the Eels following a golden point win over the Storm. Ryan Matterson returns and is tipped to play as a middle forward, with Shaun Lane and Isaiah Papali’i to continue as 80-minute back-rowers.

DRAGONS

1. Tyrell Sloan, 2. Mathew Feagai, 3. Moses Suli, 4. Zac Lomax, 5. Mikaele Ravalawa, 6. Talatau Amone, 7. Ben Hunt, 8. Francis Molo, 9. Moses Mbye, 10. Blake Lawrie, 11. Jack Bird, 12. Jack Gosiewski, 13. Tariq Sims

Bench: 14. Jack de Belin, 15. Josh Kerr, 16. Jackson Ford, 17. Aaron Woods

Reserves: 18. Tautau Moga, 19. Poasa Faamausili, 20. Daniel Alvaro 21. Andrew McCullough, 22. Jaiyden Hunt, 23. Jonathan Reuben, 24. George Burgess.

Late Mail: Andrew McCullough has been named on the extended bench and is pushing for an early return from injury. He’ll be helped by a very lengthy 10-day turnaround. If available, Moses Mbye would return to the bench utility role. Interesting to see Anthony Griffin persist with Tariq Sims at lock, with Jack Gosiewski starting on the edge in place of the suspended Jaydn Su’A. The option to start Sims on the edge, and Jack de Belin at lock wouldn’t surprise come game day.

Originally published as NRL Round 4 Late Mail: Tyrell Sloan under threat at Dragons