NRL Late Mail: Team news and changes for Finals Week One

MELBOURNE is set for a triple treat of good news for the blockbuster clash with South Sydney — keep up to date with all the latest team changes for week one of the NRL finals.

Cameron Munster is set to overcome a knee injury for the Storm. Picture: Getty Images

STORM coach Craig Bellamy has all but given the green light for Billy Slater, Cameron Munster and Suliasi Vunivalu ahead of Friday night’s qualifying final against South Sydney.

Munster (knee) will be tested again today, while Vunivalu (hamstring) “should be back in” after sitting out last week.

Slater returned to the club early in the week after spending time in north Queensland with a sick family member.

“Unless something drastic happens Billy will be playing,” Bellamy said.

“It was a big thing for him last week and his family but that situation has certainly improved a lot.”

But Bellamy cautioned the Storm about relying too heavily on the premiership trio to deliver the win.

“We got some key personnel coming back into the team which is really nice but it’s not going to help us (win),” Bellamy said.

“We just need to make sure we’re doing things a little bit better than last week with the footy.

“We squandered a few chances there so hopefully we’ll do better than that this week.”

The Storm will train Thursday afternoon at Gosch’s Paddock.

(2) Melbourne Storm v (3) South Sydney Rabbitohs

Qualifying Final: 7.40pm Friday, September 7 at AAMI Park

Storm: 1. Billy Slater 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. Cheyse Blair 4. Curtis Scott 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Cameron Smith 10. Tim Glasby 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Joe Stimson 13. Dale Finucane

Interchange: 14. Brandon Smith 15. Christian Welch 16. Tui Kamikamica 17. Kenneath Bromwich

Reserves: 18. Ryan Hoffman 19. Brodie Croft 20. Sam Kasiano 21. Sandor Earl

Players cut: To come

Late Mail: To come

Rabbitohs: 1. Alex Johnston 2. Campbell Graham 3. Greg Inglis 4. Dane Gagai 5. Robert Jennings 6. Cody Walker 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Thomas Burgess 9. Damien Cook 10. George Burgess 11. John Sutton 12. Angus Crichton 13. Sam Burgess

Interchange: 14. Hymel Hunt 15. Cameron Murray 16. Jason Clark 17. Dean Britt

Reserves: 18. Braidon Burns 19. Tyrell Fuimaono 20. Tevita Tatola 21. Matt McIlwrick

Players cut: To come

Late Mail: To come

Sam Burgess (left) is set to play despite a hamstring injury.

(5) Penrith Panthers v (8) New Zealand Warriors

Elimination Final: 5.30pm Saturday, September 8, at ANZ Stadium

Panthers: 1. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 2. Josh Mansour 3. Waqa Blake 4. Tyrone Peachey 5. Christian Crichton 6. James Maloney (c) 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Trent Merrin 9. Sione Katoa 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. Wayde Egan 19. Jack Hetherington 20. Tyrone Phillips 21. Kaide Ellis

Players cut: To come

Late Mail: To come

Warriors: 1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c) 2. David Fusitu’a 3. Peta Hiku 4. Solomone Kata 5. Ken Maumalo 6. Blake Green 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. Mason Lino 21. Chris Satae 22. Karl Lawton

Players cut: To come

Late Mail: To come

NRL CASUALTY WARD: Full injury list

SUPERCOACH WRAP: Wilfred’s analysis

(1) Sydney Roosters v (4) Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

Qualifying Final: 7.40pm Saturday, September 8 at Allianz Stadium

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 (c) 10. Siosiua Taukeiaho 11. Boyd Cordner (c) 12. Isaac Liu 13. Victor Radley.

Interchange: 14. Lindsay Collins 15. Zane Tetevano 16. Mitchell Aubusson 17. Ryan Matterson

Reserves: 18. Nat Butcher 19. Sean O’Sullivan 20. Matt Ikuvalu 21. Kurt Baptiste

Players cut: To come

Late Mail: To come

Sharks: 1. Valentine Holmes 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Josh Dugan 4. Ricky Leutele 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. Kurt Capewell 15. James Segeyaro 16. Aaron Woods 17. Jason Bukuya

Reserves: 18. Scott Sorensen 19. Ava Seumanufagai 20. Joseph Paulo 21. Jesse Ramien

Players cut: To come

Late Mail: To come

Jesse Ramien is aiming to return for the Sharks. Picture: Brett Costello

(6) Brisbane Broncos v (7) St George Illawarra Dragons

Elimination Final 4pm: Sunday, September 9 at Suncorp Stadium

Broncos: 1. Darius Boyd 2. Corey Oates 3. James Roberts 4. Jordan Kahu 5. Jamayne Isaako 6. Anthony Milford 7. Kodi Nikorima 8. Matthew Lodge 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Sam Thaiday 11. Alex Glenn 12. Tevita Pangai Junior 13. Josh McGuire

Interchange: 14. Patrick Mago 15. Joe Ofahengaue 16. Korbin Sims 17. David Fifita

Reserves: 18. Kotoni Staggs 19. Sam Tagataese 20. Gehamat Shibasaki 21. Troy Dargan

Players cut: To come

Late Mail: To come

Dragons: 1. Matthew Dufty 2. Nene Macdonald 3. Zac Lomax 4. Timoteo Lafai 5. Jordan Pereira 6. Gareth Widdop 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. Kurt Mann 16. Blake Lawrie 17. Luciano Leilua

Reserves: 18. Jason Nightingale 19. Euan Aitken 20. Jacob Host 21. Hame Sele

Players cut: To come

Late Mail: To come

Jack De Belin

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Originally published as NRL Late Mail: Team news and changes for Finals Week One