NRL Late Mail Round 22: Liam Knight to debut for Bulldogs, Jack Bird & Ronaldo Mulitalo ruled out

The Sharks have suffered a late blow, with the club’s leading try-scorer ruled out after a training mishap — check out all the Round 22 Late Mail.

Cronulla have suffered a blow ahead of a huge Saturday night clash with Penrith with strike weapon Ronaldo Mulitalo ruled out.

The explosive winger suffered a training mishap on Friday.

Siosifa Talakai has been promoted back into the centres from the bench, Connor Tracey shifts from the centres to wing and Braden Hamlin-Uele makes his return from injury on the bench.

Ronaldo Mulitalo has been ruled out of the Sharks-Panthers clash. Picture: NRL Imagery.

NEW BULLDOG RUSHED IN TO TEAM

Liam Knight will be free to make his Bulldogs debut after utility Fa’amanu Brown was removed from Canterbury’s top 30 and is on the verge of joining another NRL club.

It is understood that Brown is set to play out the remainder of the year at Newcastle after being squeezed out of the Bulldogs in what will end his second stint at the club. Canterbury had to release a player to accommodate Knight’s late-season arrival after he joined the side from South Sydney earlier this week.

Knight is now expected to make his Canterbury debut after being named on the extended bench to take on the Dolphins on Sunday afternoon. It is the second time in recent weeks the Bulldogs have needed to create a roster spot after veteran Josh Reynolds retired to makeway for Toby Sexton.

Fa'amanu Brown is off to the Knights. Picture: Getty Images.

While Liam Knight will make his Bulldogs debut after joining from South Sydney. Picture: Getty Images.

Brown is now expected to join Newcastle for the rest of the year and provide the Knights with some much needed dummy half cover and help keep their top eight hopes alive. Regular hooker Jayden Brailey is sidelined for the season while back-up half Adam Clune (calf) has also missed games recently.

Brown, 28, will provide relief for dummy half Phoenix Crossland who has been strong in recent weeks. The makeshift no.9 has been forced to play at least 73 minutes in six of Newcastle’s past seven games.

DRAGON’S INJURY WOES CONTINUE

Jack Bird’s season of woe continues with the Dragons back-rower ruled out of the clash against the Sea Eagles.

Bird has struggled with an ongoing knee injury which has left him having minimal impact of late. After a stint in reserve grade he played just 22 minutes off the bench last week.

His place on the reserves has been taken by Zane Musgrove who has been cleared to leave the club at the end of the season.

Jack Bird has been ruled out of the Dragons clash against Manly. Picture: NRL Photos.

NRL ROUND 22 LATE MAIL

RAIDERS v KNIGHTS

Saturday, 3pm, GIO Stadium, Canberra

Raiders

1. Sebastian Kris 2. Albert Hopoate 3. Jarrod Croker 4. Matthew Timoko 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Jack Wighton 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Zac Woolford 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Corey Horsburgh

Bench: 14. Tom Starling 15. Emre Guler 16. Pasami Saulo 17. Ata Mariota

Interchange: 18. Nick Cotric 19. Matt Frawley

Players cut: 20. Trey Mooney 21. Ethan Strange 22. Utuloa Asouma

Late Mail: No changes expected.

Knights

1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 13. Adam Elliott

Bench: 14. Kurt Mann 15. Brodie Jones 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Mathew Croker

Interchange: 18. Dylan Lucas 19. Enari Tuala

Players cut: 20. Simi Sasagi 21. Lachlan Miller 22. Jack Johns

Late Mail: Daniel Saifiti is back for the Knights, who are expected to be unchanged.

DRAGONS v SEA EAGLES

Saturday, 5:30pm, WIN Stadium, Wollongong

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. Jacob Liddle 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Billy Burns 12. Dan Russell 13. Jack de Belin

Bench: 14. Connor Muhleisen 15. Michael Molo 16. Toby Couchman 18. Zane Musgrove

Reserves: 19 Sione Finau 20. Ryan Couchman

Players cut: 17. Jack Bird 21. Max Feagai 22. Jaiyden Hunt

Late Mail: Jack Bird has been ruled out of the clash as he battles with an ongoing knee injury, with Zane Musgrove coming onto the bench in his place.

Sea Eagles

1. Reuben Garrick 2. Jason Saab 3. Brad Parker 4. Tolutau Koula 5. Christian Tuipulotu 6. Josh Schuster 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Toafofoa Sipley 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Matthew Lodge 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Kelma Tuilagi 13. Jake Trbojevic

Bench: 14. Dean Matterson 15. Aaron Woods 16. Sean Keppie, 17. Ethan Bullemor

Reserves: 18. Kaeo Weekes 21. Ray Tuaimalo-Vaega

Players cut: 19.Ben Condon, 20. Jake Arthur 22. Gordon Chan Kum Tong

Late Mail: Jake Trbojevic is on track to play after a category two concussion last week.

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PANTHERS v SHARKS

Saturday, 7:35pm, BlueBet Stadium, Penrith

Panthers

1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Tyrone Peachey 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo

Bench: 14. Soni Luke 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Matt Eisenhuth 17. Zac Hosking

Reserves: 18. Jack Cogger 19. Luke Garner

Players cut: 20. Jaeman Salmon 21. Tom Jenkins 22. Liam Henry

Late Mail: No changes expected as the first-placed Panthers charge into the finals.

Sharks

1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 15. Siosifa Talakai 4. Connor Tracey 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Oregon Kaufusi 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Toby Rudolf 11. Briton Nikora 12. Wade Graham 13. Cameron McInnes

Bench: 14. Jack Williams 16. Thomas Hazelton 17. Royce Hunt 20. Braden Hamlin-Uele

Reserves: 18. Matt Moylan 19. Kayal Iro

Players out: 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 21. Daniel Atkinson 22. Tuku Hau Tapuha

Late Mail: Ronaldo Mulitalo is a late withdrawal for the Sharks, with Siosifa Talakai moving to centre, Connor Tracey moving to the wing and Braden Hamlin-Uele joining the interchange bench. The Sharks have confirmed Dale Finucane is out for the season with a biceps injury.

BULLDOGS v DOLPHINS

Sunday, 2pm, Salter Oval, Bundaberg

Bulldogs

1. Jake Averillo 2. Blake Wilson 3. Jacob Kiraz 4. Braidon Burns 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Matt Burton 7. Toby Sexton 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Tevita Pangai Junior 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jacob Preston 13. Raymond Faitala-Mariner

Bench: 14. Kyle Flanagan 15. Kurtis Morrin 16. Corey Waddell 17. Samuel Hughes

Reserves: 19. Jayden Okunbor 20. Harrison Edwards 21. Ryan Sutton 22. Jeral Skelton 23. Liam Knight

Late Mail: Josh Addo-Carr (hamstring), Viliame Kikau (pectoral), Jacob Preston (flu) and Toby Sexton (concussion) will all play barring any late mishaps.

Dolphins

1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Euan Aitken 4. Valynce Te Whare 5. Tesi Niu 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Sean O’Sullivan 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Mark Nicholls 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Connelly Lemuelu 13. Kenny Bromwich

Bench: 14. Herman Ese’ese 15. Josh Kerr 16. Anthony Milford 17. Jarrod Wallace

Reserves: 18. Isaiya Katoa 19. Harrison Graham 20. Poasa Faamausili 21. Max Plath 22. Jack Bostock

Late Mail: Jeremy Marshall-King is expected to play as he deals with an ongoing shoulder injury. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has been named in his preferred position of fullback.

TITANS v COWBOYS

Sunday, 4:05pm, Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast

Titans

1. AJ Brimson 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Jojo Fifita 5. Phillip Sami 6. Kieran Foran 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Sam Verrills 10. Isaac Liu 11. David Fifita 12. Joe Stimson 13. Erin Clark

Bench: 14. Jayden Campbell 15. Chris Randall 16. Klese Haas 17. Iszac Fa’asumaleaui

Interchange: 18. Aaron Schoupp 19. Jacob Alick 20. Ken Maumalo 21. Kruise Leeming 22. Thomas Mikaele

Late Mail: To come

Cowboys

1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Semi Valemei 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Peta Hiku 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Coen Hess 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 13. Reuben Cotter

Bench: 14. Jake Granville 15. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown 16. Jason Taumalolo 17. Sam McIntyre

Reserves: 18. Zac Laybutt 19. Kyle Feldt 20. Riley Price 21. Brendan Elliot 22. Mitchell Dunn

Late Mail: To come