NRL Late Mail Round 10: Sam Walker out of NSW Cup ahead of Roosters clash

Back-to-back ACL injuries have limited him to just 10 games in the last two seasons, but an unlucky Roosters star looks set for his first game of 2023. Keep up to date with the Magic Round Late Mail.

Sam Walker was one of three players to be cut from the Sydney Roosters’ 19-man squad ahead of the clash with North Queensland in Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

Walker along with Nathan Brown and Fletcher Baker have dropped out of the side as Trent Robinson snipped his squad from 21.

The Roosters are considering handing the luckless Billy Smith his first shot of the season.

There is speculation Smith will start in the centres to replace Drew Hutchison.

Walker was cut from the Roosters’ reserve grade side to help prepare the first grade team in Brisbane and it’s understood the Roosters prefer the young halfback to feel part of the main squad after his shock axing from first grade a fortnight ago.

Walker this week vowed to fight his way back into Trent Robinson’s line-up amid suggestions rival clubs have enquired about his contract status.

The Roosters could have Billy Smith his first game of the season, with speculation he will replace Drew Hutchison at centre. Picture: Getty Images.

HOOK CONFIRMS SHOCK SWITCH FOR BEN HUNT

By David Riccio

Dragons coach Anthony Griffin has confirmed chief playmaker and captain Ben Hunt will move to hooker during his side’s clash with Wests Tigers.

Griffin said Hunt would move to dummy-half during the match on Sunday with rookie halves Jayden Sullivan and Junior Amone running the side.

“Ben will play some time at hooker,’’ Griffin declared.

“Jayden Sullivan has done a great job since he went back (to NSW Cup), his last month of football he has built a lot of form in the NSW Cup.

“He has improved in a lot of areas that myself and the coaching staff wanted him to improve in.

“It makes it easy for us to say we will get you on in the halves and Ben will spend some time at hooker.

“To Ben’s credit, when I spoke to him about it, he had already thought about it.

“It is just a side of the leader that he is thinking of what is best for the team. He could have easily turned his nose up at it as someone who is going to be a 300-game halfback.

“(Obviously) If I let him (Hunt) pick the team his preference would be halfback.

“But he understands at the moment with the people we have around him and coming through that he can give us a little more leadership by picking the ball up first.’’.

Ben Hunt is set for a new role. Picture: Getty

FULLBACK SENSATION EYES DEBUT FOR TITANS

—Travis Meyn

The Gold Coast Titans are on the verge of unveiling one of the country’s hottest schoolboy graduates, with fullback sensation Keano Kini in the mix for an NRL debut.

Kini is on standby to make his first grade debut for the Titans in Sunday night’s Magic Round closer against Parramatta at Suncorp Stadium.

Veteran Titans five-eighth Kieran Foran is battling knee and toe injuries after last weekend’s upset win against Manly and did not train with the team on Wednesday morning. Fullback AJ Brimson (hamstring) will miss at least a month of football.

Foran was named in the No. 6 jersey by coach Justin Holbrook and will be given until match eve to prove his fitness, with Jayden Campbell named as Brimson’s fullback replacement.

However Holbrook will throw a curveball at the Eels and move Campbell to five-eighth if Foran is ruled out.

That will open the door for Kini to make his NRL debut, with the 19-year-old speedster training exclusively at fullback on Wednesday.

Keano Kini is in line to debut for the Titans.

A graduate of league nursery Palm Beach Currumbin High School, Kini was one of the standouts at last year’s Australian Schoolboys championships.

He is such a highly-rated prospect that the Titans have signed him until the end of 2026 and recently promoted Kini to their top 30 squad in preparation to blood him in the NRL.

Kini produced an eye-catching display in a 40-minute pre-season trial cameo against the Brisbane Broncos and has been playing for Burleigh in the Hostplus Cup.

He has averaged 181m and created six try-assists in six appearances for the Bears, with a try and 206m against the Brisbane Tigers last Sunday proving to Holbrook he is ready for the NRL.

A New Zealand native, Kini only moved to Australia two years ago after signing with the Titans and is now on the cusp of realising his NRL dream.

Star former schoolboys fullback Keano Kini is on standby.

FULL MAGIC ROUND LATE MAIL

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TIGERS v DRAGONS

Sunday, 1:50pm, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Tigers

1. Jahream Bula 2. David Nofoaluma 3. Starford To’a 4. Tommy Talau 5. Junior Tupou 6. Brandon Wakeham 7. Luke Brooks 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. David Klemmer 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. John Bateman 13. Fonua Pole

Bench: 14. Jake Simpkin 15. Joe Ofahengaue 16. Alex Twal 17. Asu Kepaoa

Reserves: 18. Alex Seyfarth 21. Shawn Blore

Players cut: 19. Justin Matamua 20. Daine Laurie 22. Triston Reilly

Late Mail: No changes in Saturday’s 24-hour update.

Dragons

1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Max Feagai 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Talatau Amone 7. Ben Hunt 8. Jack De Belin 9. Moses Mbye 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Billy Burns 12. Jaydn Su’a 13. Jack Bird

Bench: 14. Jayden Sullivan 15. Michael Molo 16. Ben Murdoch-Masila 17. Josh Kerr

Reserves: 18. Toby Couchman 19. Jaiyden Hunt

Players cut: 20. Jacob Liddle 21. Zane Musgrove 22. Viliami Fifita

Late Mail: Fresh from axing four players including Zac Lomax, Anthony Griffin is plotting another bombshell switch. Ben Hunt trained at hooker this week with Jayden Sullivan in the halves.

Brandon Smith has been named despite a neck injury. Picture: Getty

ROOSTERS v COWBOYS

Sunday, 4pm, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Roosters

1. James Tedesco 2. Corey Allan 3. Joseph Suaalii 4. Drew Hutchison 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Joseph Manu 7. Luke Keary 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Egan Butcher 12. Nat Butcher 13. Victor Radley

Bench: 14. Jake Turpin 15. Angus Crichton 16. Sitili Tupouniua 17. Matthew Lodge

Reserves: 20. Tuipulotu Katoa 21. Billy Smith

Players cut: 18. Fletcher Baker 19. Sam Walker 22. Nathan Brown

Late Mail: Brandon Smith has been cleared of a serious neck injury. Smith left Mt Smart Stadium on Sunday in an ambulance wearing a neck brace and travelled to an Auckland hospital after he had complained of an awkward feeling in his neck and numbness in his legs.

However, he has since undergone scans which revealed that he had tweaked an old bulging disc. He will be given every chance to prove his fitness. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (back) is expected to return.

Cowboys

1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 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. Heilum Luki 12. Jack Gosiewski 13. Reuben Cotter

Bench: 14. Jake Granville 15. Mitchell Dunn 16. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown 17. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki

Reserves: 18. Riley Price 19. Ben Hampton

Players cut: 20. Brendan Elliot 21. Taniela Sadrugu 22. Jake Bourke

Late Mail: The struggling Cowboys face a nervous wait over co-skipper Chad Townsend. He is rated a “50-50” chance of facing the Roosters. The Cowboys halfback injured his knee in last week’s heavy loss to the Sharks and coach Todd Payten will give Townsend until game day to prove his fitness as North Queensland (3-6) fight to stay in touch with the NRL pace-setters.

—Peter Badel

TITANS v EELS

Sunday, 6:25pm, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Titans

1. Jayden Campbell 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Jojo Fifita 5. Phillip Sami 6. Kieran Foran 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Chris Randall 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 11. David Fifita 12. Joe Stimson 13. Isaac Liu

Bench: 15. Erin Clark 16. Klese Haas 17. Jo Vuna 18. Keano Kini

Reserves: 14. Kruise Leeming 19. Aaron Schoupp

Players cut: 20. Thomas Weaver 21. Thomas Mikaele 22. Sam McIntyre

Late Mail: Kieran Foran (knee/toe) was initially in some doubt, but is expected to play. If he is out expect Jayden Campbell move to five-eighth and Keano Kini debut at fullback. Kini will likely make his debut off the interchange bench regardless, after being elevated from the reserves 24-hours before kick-off. AJ Brimson (hamstring) is out for at least a month.

Eels

1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Bailey Simonsson 5. Haze Dunster 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Wiremu Greig 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Andrew Davey 13. J’maine Hopgood

Bench: 14. Bryce Cartwright 15. Brendan Hands 16. Ryan Matterson 17. Makahesi Makatoa

Reserves: 18. Jakob Arthur 20. Ofahiki Ogden

Players cut: 19. Sean Russell 21. Matt Doorey 22. Jack Murchie

Late Mail: Bailey Simonsson (concussion) and Ryan Matterson (flu) are both expected to play.