NRL Early Mail Round 19: Predicted team changes
The match review committee has had a busy week and will have a huge influence on Round 19 NRL teams.
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Predicted team changes heading into Round 19 of the NRL.
SHARKS V COWBOYS
Thurs 25 July, PointsBet Stadium, 7.50pm
Sharks: Fullback Matt Moylan (hamstring) was sent for scans after Cronulla’s loss to the Warriors. The injury is not thought to be serious but the six-day turnaround could make it tough for the Sharks fullback given hamstrings have a high rate of re-injury. Scan results are due on Monday. Josh Morris (nose/concussion) will return. Andrew Fifita (suspension) will miss a week. The Sharks are also sweating on Sosaia Feki (back) and Aaron Gray (knee), who was a late withdrawal on the weekend. Josh Dugan and Wade Graham (both hamstring) are not yet ready to return.
Cowboys: Coach Paul Green has admitted his struggling NRL club will be without representative captain Michael Morgan (concussion) for at least one more week. The halfback was forced to sit out the Cowboys’ 30-18 loss to South Sydney on Saturday after he failed protocol during the week. Morgan was knocked out during the State of Origin decider just a week after getting concussed playing against St George Illawarra. “I think he’ll still probably miss next week he had his appointment last week and we’ll see how he goes,” Coach Paul Green said.
KNIGHTS V TIGERS
Fri 26 Jul, McDonald Jones Stadium, 6pm
Knights: No changes expected after getting through injury-free against the Roosters.
Tigers: Fullback Corey Thompson (ankle) is set to return from a minor injury that kept him out of the clash against the Raiders. His return would likely see Moses Mbye return to centre, Michael Chee-Kam move to the bench and Luke Garner drop out, as per late changes on Saturday.
RABBITOHS V DRAGONS
Fri 26 Jul, ANZ Stadium, 7.55pm
Rabbitohs: Tom Burgess trained strongly in South Sydney’s opposed session on Tuesday morning. Burgess has been out since round 13 after having ankle surgery.
Utility Kyle Turner came in at left centre for Braidon Burns, who only took part in the first half of the session.
Injured skipper Sam Burgess did some light running in the morning but sat out the opposed session. Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook is expecting Burgess to be available in a “couple of weeks”. Burgess is recovering from an infection he picked up after undergoing shoulder shoulder last month.
— Fatima Kdouh
Dragons: Halfback Ben Hunt (rested) returns in place of Darren Nicholls. Zac Lomax (broken thumb) is closing in on a return.
EELS V WARRIORS
Sat 27 Jul, Bankwest Stadium, 3pm
Eels: Coach Brad Arthur has confirmed star winger Blake Ferguson is unlikely to return next week, however Waqa Blake is set to make his club debut. Ferguson remains in hospital after suffering an infection in his knee similar to the one that ruled him out of a game in April.
“He’s got an infection so I doubt he’ll play next week. He’s in hospital at the moment, just trying to get on top of that. He won’t play next week,” Arthur said.
But while the NSW State of Origin star is unlikely to be available, Blake will be a welcome inclusion as the Eels host the Warriors on Saturday. It is understood Blake will start in the centres, however it is unclear whether Brad Takairangi or Josh Hoffman will make way.
Blake hasn’t played since sustaining his own knee injury playing for Penrith in late May, before making the switch to Parramatta a month later. Rookie Ethan Parry is set to retain his spot on the wing after scoring a try with his second touch on debut in place of Ferguson
Warriors: Plenty of question marks with Kodi Nikorima (ankle), David Fusitu’a (hamstring) and Ken Maumalo (concussion) racing the clock, although no injury is considered serious.
TITANS V BRONCOS
Sat 27 Jul, Cbus Super Stadium, 5.30pm
Titans: Halfback Ash Taylor has taken a step towards an NRL return, helping to steer the Tweed Seagulls to victory in the Intrust Super Cup, but won’t be rushed back to first grade.
Taylor returned to the field for the first time in six weeks after time out from the game to address personal issues, scoring a try in the 28-12 win over CQ Capras.
Interim Titans coach Craig Hodges said Taylor still had a way to go before he earned a Titans recall.
“I’m not in a hurry to rush him,” Hodges said. “I haven’t seen his game (for Tweed) and I’ll see how he played and how he pulled up. It won’t be Ashley’s decision when he comes back in the side; he’ll have to earn his way back into the side.”
Hodges said there was no set process on bringing the Gold Coast’s million-dollar man back to the club and it would depend on his confidence and belief. “It’s not simply a matter of him ticking a box and he walks back in,” he said.
— Chris Honnery
Broncos: Back rower Matt Gillett (groin) is expected to return after coming up just short last week. Thomas Flegler (suspension) will drop out of the 17.
STORM V SEA EAGLES
Sat 27 Jul, AAMI Park, 7.35pm
Storm: Winger Suliasi Vunivalu (suspension) will miss a week after taking the early guilty plea to a dangerous contact charge. Sandor Earl, Justin Olam and Marion Seve are the possible replacements. Origin players Josh Addo-Carr, Cameron Munster, Will Chambers, Felise Kaufusi and Christian Welch return.
Sea Eagles: Five-eighth Cade Cust (concussion) returns, pushing Dylan Walker to centre and Brad Parker out of the side.
BULLDOGS V ROOSTERS
Sun 28 Jul, ANZ Stadium, 2pm
Bulldogs: To come ...
Roosters: To come ...
PANTHERS V RAIDERS
Sun 28 Jul, Panthers Stadium, 4.05pm
Panthers: Forward Viliame Kikau (shoulder charge) faces the judiciary on Tuesday to fight a one-week ban. He will be named. Liam Martin (quad) is closing in on a return.
Raiders: Rookie forward Hudson Young (suspension) is available after a long lay-off. But it remains to be seen if he earns a spot in Ricky Stuart’s high-flying side.
Originally published as NRL Early Mail Round 19: Predicted team changes
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