NRL Early Mail Round 23: Predicted team changes
SuperCoaches are reaching for the trade button following a brutal round of injuries and suspensions. Full predicted teams here.
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NRL Late Mail Round 23. In major news:
* Matt Gillett (back/groin) is aiming to return for the Broncos, who are without Tevita Pangai Jr regardless of the result of his trip to the judiciary, where he faces either one or five weeks. Meanwhile, the Broncos have lost young halfback Tom Dearden (ankle) for the season.
* The Knights will debut one of the most exciting talents in the country — young centre Bradman Best.
* The Rabbitohs are set to be without Sam Burgess (glute) and Braidon Burns (hamstring).
* Andrew Fifita (knee) is set to return for the Sharks.
* Mystery surrounds the injury to Jason Taumalolo (foot).
* Cooper Cronk (shoulder) has been cleared by the Roosters.
* Tigers hooker Jacob Liddle (ACL) and Warriors centre Gerard Beale (fractured patella) are out for the season.
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EELS V BULLDOGS
Thurs 22 Aug, Bankwest Stadium, 7.50pm
Eels: The return date of Blake Ferguson remains indefinite following a freak health scare which included an infection, a severe allergic reaction to antibiotics and kidney failure. Ferguson lost 8kg during the ordeal. He returned to the training paddock for the first time last week but is no clearer on when he will play again.
“My energy levels need to be right,” said Ferguson. “I need to get stronger. I didn’t do much training on Monday and it was tough. I have to have a mini pre-season to get back the fitness. I know teams will start targeting me when I do back. My return is still indefinite.”
Full story by Michael Carayannis
Junior Paulo (ankle) is expected to return after missing last week as a precaution. He would replace Tepai Moeroa in the 17.
Bulldogs: No changes expected following five wins in seven starts.
COWBOYS V PANTHERS
Fri 23 Aug, 1300SMILES Stadium, 6pm
Cowboys: Mystery surrounds Jason Taumalolo, who was ruled out on the weekend with a foot injury. “It’s one of those injuries that can vary a lot, it can either be short term or out for a while ... don’t know at this stage,” said coach Paul Green.
Jordan Kahu suffered a suspected reoccurrence of an eye socket injury against the Knights and is in doubt, opening a spot for youngster Murray Taulagi or veteran Ben Hampton, who is closing in on a return from a bicep injury.
Panthers: Talented utility Jarome Luai (eye) and hooker Wayde Egan (shoulder) are both back in training this week and set to be included in Tuesday’s squad. Brent Naden (concussion) must pass protocol.
NRL CASUALTY WARD: Full NRL injury list
SPENDING SPREE: Bulldogs target big names
BRONCOS V RABBITOHS
Fri 23 Aug, Suncorp Stadium, 7.55pm
Broncos: Brisbane’s playmaking stocks have hit crisis point with halfback Tom Dearden ruled out for the season in the lead-up to the Broncos’ grudge match against Wayne Bennett’s Souths on Friday night. Just 24 hours after Tevita Pangai Jr and Jake Turpin were charged by the NRL, The Courier-Mail can reveal that Dearden will not return this year in another blow to Brisbane’s finals charge.
Broncos coach Anthony Seibold is set to be on the lookout for a new halfback for the Rabbitohs’ visit to Suncorp Stadium, with makeshift No. 7 Turpin facing a two-match ban for striking in Brisbane’s 24-12 Round 22 home defeat of Penrith on Friday night. The 18-year-old Dearden, who made his NRL debut against Souths in Round 8, was one option to replace Turpin, but his scratching has left the Broncos scrambling for scrumbase alternatives.
Seibold is set to issue an SOS for fellow rookie Sean O’Sullivan, who has played four first-grade games and would face the biggest test of his embryonic career trying to bring down the Bunnies. Turpin is likely to miss two matches, while Pangai Jr could be rubbed out for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, Red Hill veteran Matt Gillett is primed to make a timely return to rugby league on Friday as backrower Tevita Pangai Jr prepares to face the NRL judiciary on Tuesday night. Pangai Jr has disputed his grade two dangerous contact charge against Penrith five-eighth James Maloney and will argue for a lesser penalty in front of the judiciary panel in Sydney tonight.
Pangai Jr faces the possibility of not playing another game this season with a guilty charge likely to rule him out for four games, forcing him to miss Friday night’s blockbuster against the Rabbitohs, the remaining two rounds of the regular season and the first week of finals.
The club said they hoped to lower the grading of the charge which would reduce the forward’s suspension to one game.
Rabbitohs: Not only have the Rabbitohs dropped out of the NRL top four, but they also have three key injuries to deal with. Wayne Bennett says Braidon Burns may miss the rest of the season following a reoccurrence of a hamstring injury. Sam Burgess is facing at least a fortnight with a reoccurrence of a quad injury. Brother Tom Burgess must pass protocol. Expect Kyle Turner to replace Burns at left centre and Mark Nicholls to come into the 17 for Burgess.
Sam Burgess is undergoing assessment after what appeared to be an aggravation of quadriceps strain suffered in training 2wks ago. Can see him pull up during foot race here. Whilst a low grade quads strain can allow a return within a week, recurrence strain usually longer recovery pic.twitter.com/1ADtbxNc5w
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) August 17, 2019
SHARKS V WARRIORS
Sat 24 Aug, PointsBet Stadium, 3pm
Sharks: Fullback Matt Moylan (hamstring) is in doubt after failing to finish against the Dragons. John Morris said Moylan is “racing the clock” to play on Saturday but the coach is confident the ailment will not keep the fullback off the park for more than a week.
Moylan will be named, but if out expect Josh Dugan to move to fullback, Josh Morris to move in from right wing to right centre, with rookie Ronaldo Mulitalo coming onto the flank. The club is hopeful of having Andrew Fifita (knee) back on deck after missing last week to rest an ongoing injury. He would replace Billy Magoulias on the bench.
Warriors: Centre Gerard Beale (fractured patella) is out for the season due to a gruesome injury. But the backline cavalry is set to return with David Fusitu’a and Patrick Herbert (both hamstring) eyeing comebacks. The Warriors face a conundrum at hooker with Issac Luke (suspension) and Karl Lawton (shoulder) available, while fill-in rake Jazz Tevaga has escaped suspension for his late hit on Cooper Cronk but is battling an ongoing ankle issue.
Significant concern for Gerard Beale; by video suffers patella tendon (tendon below kneecap) rupture/patella fracture in tackle below. Can see clear deformity, knee cap sits up near quad after tendon tears. Will require surgery & usual recovery of 6-12 months #NRLRoostersWarriors pic.twitter.com/Vq41BVk22A
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) August 18, 2019
James Tedesco suffered the same injury in June of 2014, and whilst he missed the rest of the season his initial return to play estimate was set at 12 weeks. pic.twitter.com/OrKzvdO6eK
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) August 18, 2019
TIGERS V KNIGHTS
Sat 24 Aug, Campbelltown Stadium, 5.30pm
Tigers: Hooker Jacob Liddle is out for 9-12 months with an ACL injury. With Robbie Farah (fractured tibia) also sidelined, expect unwanted utility Josh Reynolds to earn a recall to the top grade. Moses Mbye (hip flexor) will be named to return, likely replacing last week’s debutant Tommy Talau at centre.
Knights: Newcastle will unveil rugby league’s next teenage sensation against the Wests Tigers this weekend. Central Coast rookie Bradman Best, who has only just turned 18, will start for the Knights against the Wests Tigers. Best played Australian schoolboys last year and is rated the hottest young talent in the game.
Under NRL rules, players must be 18 to make their top-grade debut and the Knights have wasted little time in bringing Best into their squad. He will be named on an extended bench when the Knights announce their team at 4pm on Tuesday but he will definitely start against the Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday evening.
Hooker Connor Watson (knee) will miss the match with a minor MCL injury. He is set to be available for next week’s clash against the Titans.
“Connor’s got a minor grade MCL strain, so he’ll be unavailable this weekend,” said Knights Head of Physical Performance Balin Cupples. “He’s in a boot for the first couple of days this week, he’ll build into AlterG and his straight line before going into change of direction. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a pretty minor injury and we should see him return next week against the Titans.” Expect Danny Levi to come into the side at hooker. Tim Glasby (concussion) is set to return on the bench.
DRAGONS V ROOSTERS
Sat 24 Aug, Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, 7.35pm
Dragons: Ben Hunt, Tyson Frizell and Patrick Kaufusi must pass concussion protocol. Coach Paul McGregor has hinted he will give game time to Tristan Sailor and Josh Kerr over the final three rounds.
Roosters: Trent Robinson has talked down reports Boyd Cordner suffered an injured quad at training last week. Robinson says his captain was a late withdrawal due to an existing calf injury and is aiming to return in Round 23. The Roosters are also expecting Sio Siua Taukeiaho to return in the next fortnight from a calf injury of his own, while Jake Friend is pushing for a round 25 return from his broken arm.
Playmaker Cooper Cronk has been cleared to play. Cronk failed to complete the Roosters’ 42-6 flogging of the Warriors on Sunday after copping a late hit by Jazz Tevaga and experiencing increasing pain and stiffness in his left shoulder.
However, the Roosters said on Monday their medical staff have cleared him of injury and he is available to take on St George Illawarra on Saturday. That’s a relief for Roosters fans who would have vivid memories of Cronk defying pain from a fractured scapula in the same shoulder to play last year’s grand final before undergoing surgery.
“It progressively got tighter and sorer, we just had to get him off. We had to,” said coach Trent Robinson. “It actually got worse the longer the game went. But he’s okay.”
STORM V TITANS
Sun 25 Aug, AAMI Park, 2pm
Storm: No changes expected with Cameron Munster (dangerous contact) free to play if he takes the early guilty plea for a hit on Iosia Soliola. Brandon Smith (ankle) is at least another week away.
Titans: Origin prop Jarrod Wallace is due back after missing last week for the birth of his baby.
RAIDERS V SEA EAGLES
Sun 25 Aug, GIO Stadium, 4.05pm
Raiders: Ricky Stuart’s only concern is backrower Joseph Tapine, who aggravated a rib cartilage injury against the Storm. He required a painkilling injection to play. Tapine is expected to be named but will be monitored.
Sea Eagles: Des Hasler’s team have Curtis Sironen (hamstring) and Brad Parker (knee) gunning for returns.
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