NRL Late Mail: Team news and changes for Round 20
NEW Zealand will be without stars Issac Luke and Tohu Harris for their clash against Gold Coast on Sunday — keep up with all the Round 20 team news.
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THE Warriors have been dealt a blow with star duo Issac Luke and Tohu Harris ruled out of Sunday’s clash with Gold Coast. Luke has been troubled by a calf complaint that saw him miss the final stages of last week’s loss to Melbourne while Harris has been sidelined for several weeks with a knee injury. Neither man travelled to Australia with the squad but both are expected to be fit for next week’s clash with the Dragons in Wollongong. Jazz Tevaga and Karl Lawton are expected to share the hooking role while Leivaha Pulu could start on the edge in relief of Harris.
In other news, Newcastle have lost five-eighth Connor Watson for Friday’s clash with North Queensland but remain hopeful Kalyn Ponga will take the field. Watson was ruled out on Friday with a groin complaint and an ankle injury and will be replaced in the halves by Jack Cogger. Ponga was retained when the squad was cut to 19 as he looks to return from a hamstring injury. The young star is desperate to play against the Cowboys and a decision will be made on his avaliability on Friday morning.
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In the biggest Round 20 team news so far:
* The Cowboys have elevated big boppers Matt Scott and Jordan McLean to the 17 for Friday’s game against the Knights.
* Good news for Wests Tigers fans with Robbie Farah (concussion) and David Nofoaluma (concussion) completing the captain’s run
* Jai Arrow remains in some doubt for the Titans after aggravating an existing knee injury last week, but he is expected to face the Warriors
* Sydney Roosters expect to have Dylan Napa back from a knee injury for their blockbuster NRL clash with St George Illawarra.
* The Dragons could be without backrower Blues backrower Tyson Frizell again on Sunday afternoon.
COWBOYS V KNIGHTS
Friday 27 July, 1300SMILES Stadium, 6pm
Cowboys: 1 Te Maire Martin, 2 Kyle Feldt, 3 Enari Tuala, 4 Kane Linnett, 5 Justin O’Neill, 6 Jake Clifford, 7 Johnathan Thurston (c), 8 John Asiata, 9 Jake Granville, 10 Scott Bolton, 11 Gavin Cooper, 12 Coen Hess, 13 Jason Taumalolo
Interchange: 14 Ben Hampton, 15 Shaun Fensom, 16 Mitchell Dunn, 17 Corey Jensen
Reserves: 18 Matthew Scott, 19 Ethan Lowe, 20 Francis Molo, 21 Jordan McLean
Players cut:
Late Mail: Cowboys coach Paul Green has confirmed co-captain Matt Scott and fellow prop Jordan McLean will play on Friday despite being named in the reserves.
Paul Green confirms Matt Scott and Jordan McLean will be in his 17 for #NRLCowboysKnights tomorrow night. #ridemcowboys
— NQ Cowboys (@nthqldcowboys) July 26, 2018
Knights: 1 Kalyn Ponga, 2 Ken Sio, 3 Sione Mata’utia, 4 Nathan Ross, 5 Shaun Kenny-Dowall, 20 Jack Cogger, 7 Mitchell Pearce (c), 8 Jacob Lillyman, 9 Danny Levi, 10 Daniel Saifiti, 11 Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 12 Mitch Barnett, 13 Aidan Guerra
Interchange: 14 Jamie Buhrer (c), 15 Chris Heighington, 16 Josh King, 17 Herman Ese’ese
Reserves: 18 Nick Meaney, 21 JJ Felise
Players cut: 19 Cory Denniss, 6 Connor Watson.
Late Mail: Connor Watson is out with Jack Cogger to take his place in the halves.
BULLDOGS V WESTS TIGERS
Friday 27 July, ANZ Stadium, 7.55pm
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 Greg Eastwood, 16 Ofahiki Ogden, 17 Danny Fualalo
Reserves: 18 Chris Smith, 19 Matthew Frawley, 20 Francis Tualau, 21 John Olive
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come
Wests Tigers: 1 Moses Mbye, 2 David Nofoaluma, 3 Esan Marsters, 4 Kevin Naiqama, 5 Corey Thompson, 6 Benji Marshall, 7 Luke Brooks, 8 Russell Packer (c), 9 Robbie Farah, 10 Ben Matulino, 11 Michael Chee Kam, 12 Luke Garner, 13 Elijah Taylor
Interchange: 14 Alex Twal, 15 Sauaso Sue, 16 Robbie Rochow, 17 Matt Eisenhuth
Reserves: 18 Jacob Liddle, 19 Chris McQueen, 20 Pita Godinet, 21 Malakai Watene-Zelezniak
Players cut:
Late Mail: Good news for Wests Tigers fans with Robbie Farah (concussion) and David Nofoaluma (concussion) completing the captain’s run. Young second rower Luke Garner has cleared concussion protocols.
LATEST - @robbiefarah & @DNofoaluma both trained at @WestsTigers captain’s run today - Robbie missed Wednesday’s session. Ivan Cleary is confident both will be cleared to face @NRL_Bulldogs tomorrow night. Luke Garner has already passed the relevant testing #NRLBulldogsTigers
— Zac Bailey (@ZacBailey14) July 26, 2018
SEA EAGLES V PANTHERS
Saturday 28 July, Lottoland, 3pm
Sea Eagles: 1 Tom Trbojevic, 2 Jorge Taufua, 3 Moses Suli, 4 Brian Kelly, 5 Brad 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 Frank Winterstein, 17 Taniela Paseka
Reserves: 18 Matthew Wright, 20 Tevita Funa, 21 Toafofoa Sipley, 22 Lloyd Perrett
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come
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 Fisher-Harris, 9 Sione Katoa, 10 James Tamou, 11 Viliame Kikau, 12 Corey Harawira-Naera, 13 Isaah Yeo
Interchange: 14 Tyrone May, 15 Trent Merrin, 16 Jack Hetherington, 17 Moses Leota
Reserves: 18 Kaide Ellis, 19 Wayde Egan, 20 Christian Crichton, 21 Liam Martin
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come
RABBITOHS V EELS
Saturday 28 July, ANZ Stadium, 5.30pm
Rabbitohs: 1 Alex Johnston, 2 Campbell Graham, Hymel Hunt, 4 Dane Gagai, 5 Robert Jennings, 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: 14 Adam Doueihi, 15 Cameron Murray, 16 Jason Clark, 17 Tevita Tatola
Reserves: 18 Mark Nicholls, 19 Kyle Turner, 20 Dean Britt, 21 Braidon Burns
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come
Eels: 1 Clint Gutherson (c), 2 Bevan French, 3 Michael Jennings, 4 Brad Takairangi, 5 Jarryd Hayne, 6 Corey Norman, 7 Mitchell Moses, 8 Daniel Alvaro, 9 Kaysa Pritchard, 10 Siosaia Vave, 11 Marata Niukore, 12 Tepai Moeroa, 13 Nathan Brown
Interchange: 14 Reed Mahoney, 15 Tim Mannah (c), 16 David Gower, 17 Peni Terepo
Reserves: 18 Kane Evans, 19 Greg Leleisiuao, 20, Jaeman Salmon, 21 Suaia Matagi
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come
STORM V RAIDERS
Saturday 28 July, AAMI Park, 7.35pm
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
In terchange: 14 Kenny Bromwich, 15 Tim Glasby, 16 Christian Welch, 17 Joe Stimson
Reserves: 18 Tui Kamikamica, 19 Brodie Croft, 20 Cheyse Blair, 21 Albert Vete
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come
Raiders: 1 Brad Abbey, 2 Michael Oldfield, 3 Nick Cotric, 4 Joseph Leilua, 5 Jordan Rapana, 6 Blake Austin, 7 Sam Williams, 8 Dunamis Lui, 9 Josh Hodgson (c), 10 Junior Paulo, 11 Joseph Tapine, 12 Elliott Whitehead, 13 Josh Papalii
Interchange: 14 Liam Knight, 15 Luke Bateman, 16 Siliva Havili, 17 Iosia Soliola
Reserves: 18 Jack Murchie, 19 Makahesi Makatoa, 20 Royce Hunt, 21 Emre Guler
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come
TITANS V WARRIORS
Sunday 29 July, Cbus Super Stadium, 2pm
Titans: 1 Michael Gordon, 2 Anthony Don, 3 Konrad Hurrell, 4 Brenko Lee, 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, 19 Brendan Elliot, 20 Morgan Boyle, 21 Kane Elgey
Players cut:
Late Mail: Jai Arrow remains in some doubt for the clash after aggravating an existing knee injury last week, but he is expected to face the Warriors. Gold Coast’s teenage five-eighth Alexander Brimson (concussion) is expected to line up after recovering well from a nasty clash last weekend.
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, 14. Jazz Tevaga, 10 Agnatius Paasi, 11 Isaiah Papali’i, 21. Leivaha Pulu, 13 Simon Mannering
Interchange: 14 Jazz Tevaga, 15 Sam Lisone, 16 Joseph Vuna, 17 Bunty Afoa
Reserves: 18 Peta Hiku, 22 Mason Lino
Players cut: 9. Issac Luke, 12. Tohu Harris
Late Mail: Blake Green will definitely start after shaking off a rib injury that forced him out of the Storm clash. Isaac Luke and Tohu Harris are both out with Karl Lawton and Leivaha Pulu expected to come into the side.
ROOSTERS V DRAGONS
Sunday 29 July, Allianz Stadium, 4.10pm
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, 12 Ryan Matterson, 13 Victor Radley.
Interchange: 14 Isaac Liu, 15 Zane Tetevano, 16 Mitchell Aubusson, 17 Kurt Baptiste
Reserves: 18 Nat Butcher, 20 Matthew Ikuvalu, 21 Dylan Napa, 22 Lindsay Collins
Players cut:
Late Mail: Dylan Napa should return a knee injury, according to coach Trent Robinson.
Napa hasn’t played for the Roosters since he injured his ankle before State of Origin III and was only named on an an extended bench for Sunday’s match at Allianz Stadium.
“He’s a good chance. He’s trained well all week so looking forward to getting Naps back in very soon,” Robinson said.
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 Paul Vaughan, 11 Tyson Frizell, 12 Tariq Sims, 13 Jack De Belin
Interchange: 14 Jeremy Latimore, 15 Kurt Mann, 16 Leeson Ah Mau, 17 Luciano Leilua
Reserves: 18 Patrick Herbert, 19 Blake Lawrie, 20 Jai Field, 21 Zachary Lomax
Players cut:
Late Mail: Tyson Frizell has trained separately from the main group this week due to his hamstring strain and is in major doubt for the blockbuster Sunday afternoon clash.