NRL Late Mail: Team news and changes for Round 22

BENJI Marshall looks set to try extend his stunning run against Canberra, while Brenko Lee faces a stint on the sidleines. Plus latest Cam Smith news and more — keep up to date with the Round 22 team changes.

WESTS Tigers five-eighth Benji Marshall is expected to be cleared to face the Raiders in the nation’s capital on Sunday.

Marshall has a stunning record against the men in lime green, having won 17 of his 18 clashes against the club.

Meanwhile Titans centre Brenko Lee could miss several weeks with a hamstring injury after being ruled out of the clash with Penrith.

In other late mail:

* South Sydney winger Campbell Graham has been ruled out of Friday’s NRL showdown against the Sydney Roosters with a wrist injury.

* Newcastle halfback Mitchell Pearce (cork) completed captain’s run and will play his 250th match.

* The Storm say Cameron Smith (foot) will play despite limping off last week.

* Panthers prop James Tamou (leg) is out of Penrith’s clash against Gold Coast

Campbell Graham is battling a wrist injury.

PODCAST!!! Teams are in for the first week of SuperCoach finals, which means sudden death for many. Join Tom Sangster and Nick Campton.

Warriors v Knights

Friday, 6:00pm, Mt Smart Stadium

Warriors: 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2 David Fusitu’a, 3 Gerard Beale, 4 Solomone Kata, 5 Ken Maumalo, 6 Blake Green, 7 Shaun Johnson, 8 James Gavet, 9 Issac Luke, 10 Agnatius Paasi, 11 Isaiah Papali’i, 12 Adam Blair, 13 Simon Mannering,

Interchange: 14 Jazz Tevaga, 15 Leivaha Pulu, 16 Bunty Afoa, 17 Peta Hiku

Reserves: 20 Joseph Vuna, 22 Karl Lawton

Players cut: 18 Anthony Gelling, 21 Chris Satae

Late mail: Bunty Afoa was cleared at the judiciary on Tuesday and will take his spot on the bench.

Knights: 1 Kalyn Ponga, 2 Ken Sio, 3 Sione Mata’utia, 4 Cory Denniss, 5 Shaun Kenny-Dowall, 6 Jack Cogger, 7 Mitchell Pearce (c), 8 Herman Ese’ese, 9 Danny Levi, 10 Daniel Saifiti, 11 Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 12 Mitch Barnett, 13 Aidan Guerra

Interchange: 14 Jamie Buhrer (c), 15 Chris Heighington, 16 Pasami Saulo, 17 JJ Felise Reserves: 18 Nick Meaney, 21 Luke Yates

Players cut: 19 Josh King, 20 Brock Lamb

Late mail: Mitchell Pearce (cork) has been cleared to play his 250th game. Kalyn Ponga (ankle) will also play despite nursing an ongoing injury.

Rabbitohs v Roosters

Friday, 7:50pm, ANZ Stadium

Rabbioths: 1 Alex Johnston, 14 Braidon Burns, 3 Hymel Hunt, 4 Dane Gagai, 5 Richie Kennar, 6 Cody Walker, 7 Adam Reynolds, 8 Tom Burgess, 9 Damien Cook, 10 George Burgess, 11 John Sutton, 12 Angus Crichton, 13 Sam Burgess (c)

Interchange: 15 Cameron Murray, 16 Jason Clark, 17 Tevita Tatola, Reserves: 18 Billy Brittain, 20 Dean Britt, 21 Tyrell Fuimaono

Players cut: 19 Kyle Turner, 2 Campbell Graham

Late mail: Campbell Graham (wrist) is out and has been replaced on the wing by Braidon Burns.

Roosters: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3 Latrell Mitchell, 4 Joseph Manu, 5 Blake Ferguson, 6 Ryan Matterson, 7 Cooper Cronk, 8 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 9 Jake Friend (c), 10 Siosiua Taukeiaho, 11 Boyd Cordner, 12 Isaac Liu, 13 Victor Radley

Interchange: 14 Dylan Napa, 15 Zane Tetevano, 16 Mitchell Aubusson, 17 Sean O’Sullivan, Reserves: 18 Nat Butcher, 21 Lindsay Collins

Players cut: 19 Kurt Baptiste, 20 Matthew Ikuvalu

Late mail: No changes for the in-form side.

Titans v Panthers

Saturday, 3:00pm, Cbus Super Stadium

Titans: 1 Michael Gordon, 2 Anthony Don, 3 Konrad Hurrell, 19. Brendan Elliott, 5 Phillip Sami, 6 AJ Brimson, 7 Ashley Taylor, 8 Jarrod Wallace, 9 Nathan Peats, 10 Ryan James (c), 11 Kevin Proctor, 12 Keegan Hipgrave, 13 Jai Arrow

Interchange: 14 Mitch Rein, 15 Moeaki Fotuaika, 16 Jack Stockwell, 17 Will Matthews

Reserves: 18 Leilani Latu, 20 Jai Whitbread, 21 Kane Elgey

Players cut: 4 Brenko Lee

Late mail: Keegan Hipgrave (hamstring) is expected to play after missing out last week. Brenko Lee is out, and will be replaced by Brendan Elliott in the backline.

Panthers: 1 Tyrone Peachey, 2 Josh Mansour, 3 Waqa Blake, 4 Dean Whare, 5 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 6 James Maloney (c), 7 Nathan Cleary, 8 James Tamou, 9 Sione Katoa, 10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 11 Viliame Kikau, 12 Isaah Yeo, 13 James Fisher-Harris

Interchange: 14 Tyrone May, 15 Trent Merrin, 16 Moses Leota, 17 Corey Harawira-Naera

Reserves: 18 Christian Crichton, 19 Jack Hetherington, 20 Kaide Ellis, 21 Wayde Egan

Players cut: To come

Late mail: Five-eighth James Maloney (broken thumb), winger Josh Mansour (facial laceration) and prop James Tamou (corked calf) are all expected to play.

Sea Eagles v Bulldogs

Saturday, 5:30pm, Lottoland

Sea Eagles: 1 Tom Trbojevic, 2 Jorge Taufua, 3 Moses Suli, 4 Brian Kelly, 5 Bradley Parker, 6 Dylan Walker, 7 Daly Cherry-Evans (c), 8 Addin Fonua-Blake, 9 Manase Fainu, 10 Martin Taupau, 11 Joel Thompson, 12 Shaun Lane, 13 Jake Trbojevic

Interchange: 14 Trent Hodkinson, 15 Kelepi Tanginoa, 16 Jack Gosiewski, 17 Taniela Paseka

Reserves: 18 Frank Winterstein, 19 Matthew Wright, 20 Thomas Wright, 21 Toafofoa Sipley

Players cut: To come

Late mail: To come

Bulldogs: 1 Will Hopoate, 2 Brett Morris, 3 Josh Morris, 4 Kerrod Holland, 5 Reimis Smith, 6 Lachlan Lewis, 7 Jeremy Marshall-King, 8 Aiden Tolman, 9 Michael Lichaa, 10 David Klemmer, 11 Josh Jackson (c), 12 Rhyse Martin, 13 Adam Elliott

Interchange: 14 Fa’amanu Brown, 15 Danny Fualalo, 16 Ofahiki Ogden, 17 Chris Smith

Reserves: 19 Greg Eastwood, 20 Matthew Frawley, 21 Renouf Toomaga, 23 John Olive

Players cut: To come

Late mail: Jeremy Marshall-King (virus) will play after missing out last week.

Eels v Dragons

Saturday, 7:30pm, ANZ Stadium

Eels: 1 Corey Norman, 2 Jarryd Hayne, 3 Michael Jennings, 4 Clint Gutherson (c), 5 George Jennings, 6 Jaeman Salmon, 7 Mitchell Moses, 8 Siosaia Vave, 9 Reed Mahoney, 10 Tim Mannah (c), 11 Marata Niukore, 12 Tepai Moeroa, 13 Nathan Brown

Interchange: 14 Will Smith, 15 Kane Evans, 16 Peni Terepo, 17 Brad Takairangi

Reserves: 18 Bevan French, 19 David Gower, 20 Oregon Kaufusi, 21 Raymond Stone

Players cut: To come

Late mail: To come

Dragons: 1 Matt Dufty, 2 Jordan Pereira, 3 Euan Aitken, 4 Tim Lafai, 5 Jason Nightingale, 6 Gareth Widdop (c), 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 Jacob Host, 19 Nene Macdonald, 20 Zachary Lomax, 21 Hame Sele

Players cut: To come

Late mail: St George Illawarra star Paul Vaughan has set himself the task of whittling his recovery time to just two weeks in a bid to be back before the NRL finals. Vaughan is faced with the prospect of entering September devoid of match fitness after suffering an ankle injury in last week’s loss to the Warriors which has ruled him out for a month.

However, while he insists he can’t rush his return, Vaughan is motivated to come back early.

“The team said four weeks, which is more realistic, but I’d like to try and do all the prehab and rehab and try and get back as quick as I can,” he said.

Raiders v Tigers

Sunday, 2:00pm, GIO Stadium

Raiders: 1 Nick Cotric, 2 Brad Abbey, 3 Blake Austin, 4 Joseph Leilua, 5 Jordan Rapana, 6 Aidan Sezer, 7 Sam Williams, 8 Iosia Soliola, 9 Josh Hodgson (c), 10 Junior Paulo, 11 Joseph Tapine, 12 Elliott Whitehead, 13 Josh Papalii

Interchange: 14 Dunamis Lui, 15 Shannon Boyd, 16 Siliva Havili, 17 Luke Bateman

Reserves: 18 Liam Knight, 19 Jack Murchie, 20 Makahesi Makatoa, 21 Emre Guler

Players cut: To come

Late mail: To come

Tigers: 1 Moses Mbye, 2 David Nofoaluma, 3 Esan Marsters, 4 Kevin Naiqama, 5 Malakai Watene-Zelezniak, 6 Benji Marshall, 7 Luke Brooks, 8 Russell Packer, 9 Robbie Farah, 10 Ben Matulino, 11 Michael Chee Kam, 12 Luke Garner, 13 Elijah Taylor (c)

Interchange: 14 Alex Twal, 15 Suaso Sue, 16 Robbie Rochow, 17 Matt Eisenhuth

Reserves: 18 Jacob Liddle, 19 Chris McQueen, 20 Pita Godinet, 21 Mahe Fonua

Players cut: To come

Late mail: Benji Marshall is expected to be cleared to face the Raiders.

Storm v Sharks

Sunday, 4:00pm, AAMI Park

Storm: 1 Billy Slater, 2 Suliasi Vunivalu, 3 Will Chambers, 4 Curtis Scott, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Jahrome Hughes, 8 Jesse Bromwich, 9 Cameron Smith (c), 10 Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11 Felise Kaufusi, 12 Ryan Hoffman, 13 Dale Finucane

Interchange: 14 Kenny Bromwich, 15 Tim Glasby, 16 Christian Welch, 17 Joe Stimson

Reserves: 18 Tui Kamikamica, 19 Brandon Smith, 20 Cheyse Blair, 21 Brodie Croft

Players cut: To come

Late mail: The Storm say Cameron Smith (foot) will play despite limping off last week. Suliasi Vunivalu (family leave) returns.

Sharks: 1 Valentine Holmes, 2 Josh Dugan, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 Ricky Leutele, 5 Sione Katoa, 6 Matt Moylan, 7 Chad Townsend, 8 Andrew Fifita, 9 Jayden Brailey, 10 Matt Prior, 11 Luke Lewis, 12 Wade Graham (c), 13 (c)

Interchange: 14 Scott Sorensen, 15 James Segeyaro, 16 Aaron Woods, 17 Jayson Bukuya

Reserves: 18 Joseph Paulo, 19 Ava Seumanufagai, 20 Sosaia Feki, 21 Kyle Flanagan

Players cut: To come

Late mail: To come