Team Talk: Live blog ahead of team announcements for the second week of the NRL finals
MITCHELL Pearce has been named to return for the Roosters’ semi-final against the Bulldogs. Check out the teams for week two of the NRL finals.
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MITCHELL Pearce has been named to return for the Roosters’ semi-final showdown against the Bulldogs.
Pearce, who hasn’t played since injuring his hamstring against the Broncos in round 24, comes in at halfback in the only change to the Roosters side that crashed to the Storm.
Young gun Jackson Hastings drops to the Roosters bench, while Suaia Matagi has been named 18th man.
The Bulldogs have named Frank Prtichard ahead of the second-rower’s appearance at the NRL judiciary tonight while Rory Kostjasyn returns for the Cowboys and the Sharks are unchanged.
Check out the full teams for week two of the NRL finals below.
ROOSTERS v BULLDOGS
7.55pm Friday at Allianz Stadium
Roosters: 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 2 Daniel Tupou 3 Michael Jennings 4 Blake Ferguson 5 Shaun Kenny-Dowall 6 James Maloney 7 Mitchell Pearce (c) 8 Sam Moa 9 Jake Friend (c) 10 Dylan Napa 11 Boyd Cordner 12 Aidan Guerra 13 Sio Siua Taukeiaho. Interchange: 14 Jackson Hastings 15 Isaac Liu 16 Kane Evans 17 Mitchell Aubusson 18 Suaia Matagi.
Bulldogs: 1 Brett Morris 2 Curtis Rona 3 Josh Morris 4 Tim Lafai 5 Sam Perrett 6 Josh Reynolds 7 Moses Mbye 8 Aiden Tolman 9 Damien Cook 10 James Graham (c) 11 Josh Jackson 12 Frank Pritchard 13 Greg Eastwood. Interchange: 14 Sam Kasiano 15 Shaun Lane 16 David Klemmer 17 Tim Browne 19 Lloyd Perrett.
COWBOYS v SHARKS
7.40pm Saturday at 1300 Smiles Stadium
Cowboys: 1 Lachlan Coote 2 Kyle Feldt 3 Justin O’Neill 4 Kane Linnett 5 Antonio Winterstein 6 Michael Morgan 7 Johnathan Thurston (c) 8 Matthew Scott (c) 9 Jake Granville 10 James Tamou 11 Gavin Cooper 12 Ethan Lowe 13 Jason Taumalolo. Interchange: 14 Rory Kostjasyn 15 John Asiata 16 Scott Bolton 17 Ben Hannant 19 Ray Thompson.
Sharks: 1 Michael Gordon 2 Sosaia Feki 3 Gerard Beale 4 Ricky Leutele 5 Valentine Holmes 6 Jack Bird 7 Jeff Robson 8 Chris Heighington 9 Michael Ennis 10 Sam Tagataese 11 Luke Lewis 12 Wade Graham 13 Paul Gallen (c). Interchange: 14 Ben Barba 15 Anthony Tupou 16 Andrew Fifita 17 Jayson Bukuya 18 Matt Prior.
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