NRL 2023: Penrith could rest more stars if Broncos defeat Storm in round 27 opener
So many of the NRL’s biggest stars have already been put in cotton wool for finals — and one scenario could see a host join them on the sidelines and add to the final-round teams chaos.
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Penrith have welcomed back a handful of players who were rested last weekend but the final make-up of their side is likely to be determined by the outcome of Thursday night’s match between the Broncos and Storm.
Should the Broncos win, Penrith will finish second regardless of their result against the Cowboys. That could prompt coach Ivan Cleary to wrap some of his biggest names in cotton wool in preparation for the finals.
Newcastle will be without injured captain Kalyn Ponga and halfback Jackson Hastings for their final game of the regular season while coach Adam O’Brien has also opted to rest Dane Gagai, Phoenix Crossland and Tyson Frizell.
Melbourne have confirmed young duo Sua Fa’alogo and Jack Howarth will make their respective NRL debuts against the Broncos as they prepare to head into Thursday night’s game with about half their salary cap on the sideline.
Heavy hitters Cameron Munster, Harry Grant, Christian Welch, Nick Meaney, Xavier Coates, Tui Kamikamica and Nelson Asofa-Solomona headline the list of players who have been rested in preparation for the finals.
Halfback Jahrome Hughes is also sidelined with a knee injury but is expected to be available for selection for the opening week of the postseason.
Storm general manager of football Frank Ponissi said Fa’alogo and Howarth had been rewarded for their efforts in the Queensland Cup.
“Both Sua and Jack have been knocking on the selection door for a few weeks now,” Ponissi said.
“We see this as the perfect opportunity for them to experience the physicality and speed of NRL after spending the season with the Falcons and there is no better test than the Broncos.
“It is an exciting time for the players and their families to play in one of the biggest games of the year in one of the biggest rugby league stadiums in the country. We can’t wait to see what they bring to the side.
“It was a tough decision to manage some of our senior players this week who have been carrying niggling injuries, but that gives us a chance to look at others like Sua and Jack who have been waiting for their chance to test themselves at the highest level.”
NRL TOP-EIGHT MAYHEM AS STORM REST SUPERSTARS
The Melbourne Storm are set to rest a handful of their biggest names against Brisbane on Thursday night in a move that could have sweeping ramifications for the minor premiership, the top eight and the finals hopes of at least three rivals.
This masthead understands Nick Meaney, Cameron Munster and Harry Grant are among the big names set to be wrapped in cotton wool by the Storm heading into the final series, with Victorian junior Sualauvi Faalogo and schoolboy prodigy Jack Howarth among those in line to make their NRL debuts.
The Storm will also be without halfback Jahrome Hughes, who injured his knee at the weekend and is expected to be sidelined until at least the opening week of the finals.
Munster and Grant have carried nagging injuries through the latter stages of the season while Meaney’s likely absence means Ryan Papenhuyzen will step up his return from injury by starting at fullback in the NRL for the first time since his stunning recovery from a shattered kneecap.
The Storm are locked into the top four, as are Brisbane. However, a win for the Broncos would secure the minor premiership and have ructions across the NRL given Penrith would no longer be able to run them down.
That would leave the Panthers free to rest players against North Queensland on Saturday, increasing the likelihood of a Cowboys win. In turn, a Cowboys victory would mean Canberra need to win to secure their place in the top eight, and even a win for the Sydney Roosters over bitter rivals South Sydney may not be enough for them to qualify for the finals.
The Roosters will head into that game without Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who entered an early guilty plea to a striking charge on Monday but will seek a downgrade to a dangerous contact charge. Regardless, he will miss at least three games.
Waerea-Hargreaves’ decision to fight one charge came as Newcastle superstar Kalyn Ponga underwent scans on a shoulder problem, the club later revealing he would miss this week but is expected to return for week one of the finals.
The Storm’s only concern is their own finals campaign. The best they can finish with a win over Brisbane is third – regardless of what happens this week they will have a double chance in the finals and play away in week one.
Of more importance is that they have their biggest names fit and firing heading into the post-season. With that in mind, coach Craig Bellamy is preparing to rest a host of players who have the potential to shape their premiership tilt.
The club hinted at mass changes in a statement on Monday regarding the fitness of Hughes, who picked up a knee injury in their win over Gold Coast last weekend.
“Hughesy has pulled up well in the last couple of days but will miss this week along with a few players who have been carrying niggling injuries that will benefit from a week off before the finals,” Storm general manager of football Frank Ponissi said.
“It is a long and tough season so we will take the opportunity to freshen up a number of the boys before we head into our finals campaign.
“We also get the chance to give some other players more NRL game time which will be important for our preparation for finals footy.”
It is understood Faalogo and Howarth are among the players in contention to make their debuts against the Broncos as the Storm attempt to maintain their stranglehold over Brisbane – they have won the past 13 games between the sides.
Faalogo grew up in Victoria and has emerged from the club’s pathways system while Howarth was a schoolboy rugby union prodigy who was locked down to a five-year deal last season.
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