NRL team lists Round 20: Mass players rested ahead of finals | KFC SuperCoach NRL
Absolute carnage! It’s the final ‘Team List Tuesday’ of the KFC SuperCoach NRL season, and coaches have thrown a massive spanner in the works with dozens of key players being rested ahead of finals.
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Big-money import Joey Leilua has been dropped for the Tigers’ final game of the season with Michael Maguire swinging the axe ahead of the club’s match against Parramatta.
Leilua is fresh off a sub-par display against the Storm last week and has paid the price for his inconsistency with Maguire preferring retiring veteran Chris Lawrence and youngster Tommy Talau.
A two-time Dally M centre of the year, Leilua has endured a frustrating season since joining from Canberra in January with his defence and discipline coming under the microscope.
Departing legend Benji Marshall will captain the side in his final game for the club while Parramatta are unchanged from the side named last week.
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Minor premiers Penrith have rested Dylan Edwards and Stephen Crichton with Daine Laurie and Tyrone May to slot in at fullback and centre respectively for this week’s clash with 15th placed Canterbury.
The Panthers will also sideline star backrower Viliame Kikau with Kurt Capewell to start in relief of the Fijian.
Five-eighth Matt Burton has been named on the bench and is expected to get plenty of minutes should Penrith surge to an early lead.
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Newcastle will welcome back Bradman Best for their match against the Titans on Friday night after the 19-year old missed the last seven weeks with an ankle problem.
Kurt Mann returns from suspension at hooker but Lachlan Fitzgibbon has been rested with Sione Mata’utia to take his place in the backrow.
Edrick Lee is also back after missing the win over the Dragons due to a personal issue.
The Roosters will be at full strength for Friday’s clash with arch rivals South Sydney, with the exception of centre Joseph Manu who will be rested, while Jed Cartwright starts for the Rabbitohs after Jaydn Su’A’s suspension.
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Brisbane’s Corey Oates has been dropped for the Queensland derby against the Cowboys in a hammer blow to his Origin chances - he’s been replaced on the flank by Xavier Coates.
The Broncos will be desperate for a win to avoid the first wooden spoon in the club’s history.
Wade Graham will play his first game in the halves in five years with the star backrower to replace Shaun Johnson for Cronulla’s clash with Canberra.
Graham came through the grades at Penrith as a five-eighth but has spent nearly all of his time with the Sharks in the backrow since he joined the club in 2011.
But with Johnson and Matt Moylan missing due to injury and Chad Townsend still suspended, John Morris will pitch Graham into the number six jersey alongside halfback Connor Tracey.
Josh Dugan and Sione Katoa are also out for the Sharks with Nene Macdonald and Mawene Hiroti to come in at wing and centre respectively.
Raider s coach Ricky Stuart has made the stunning decision to rest nine NRL stars ahead of this weekend’s clash with Cronulla including Jack Wighton, Josh Papalii, George Williams and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
In all, Stuart has gone with a virtually unrecognizable line-up that includes seven players from the Raiders under-20s side last year, with debutant Adam Cook to start at fullback.
Fellow NRL debutants Jarrett Subloo and Darby Medlyn will also pull on the green for the first time against the Sharks on Saturday afternoon at Jubilee Oval.
The Raiders can still make the top-four with a win, but Stuart would prefer to have his big guns rested and ready for week one of the finals.
The new-look Raiders halves are Matt Frawley and Sam Williams, while incredibly the ultimate warrior Sia Soliola will make his comeback from a severe facial fracture in the front-row.
Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will miss the club’s final game of the season due to a hamstring injury. Peta Hiku will take his place at the back for the match against Manly on Sunday while the Sea Eagles will be without their own superstar halfback following Tom Trbojevic’s shoulder problem.
Tevita Funa will once again replace the Test and Origin star.
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Melbourne will rest Cameron Smith for the final game of the regular season.
Craig Bellamy will sideline a number of his stars for the Storm’s clash with the Dragons on Sunday with Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes, Jesse Bromwich, Kenny Bromwich, Josh Addo-Carr, Justin Olam and Suliasi Vunivalu all sidelined.
But the real surprise is Smith, who is rarely ever rested.
Kiwi Test star Brandon Smith will replace his skipper at hooker.
****** ROUND 20 TEAMS ******
BRONCOS
Teams comment: Peter Gentle has made his final call as caretaker coach of the Broncos by dropping Maroons Origin representative Corey Oates to the interchange bench and promoting Xavier Coates to start on the wing in his place. David Fifita (ankle) is replaced by hulking youngster Jordan Rikki who returns from suspension. Kotoni Staggs shifts from centre to five-eighth to replace Tyson Gamble while Jesse Arthars comes in at centre to replace Staggs. Payne Haas is a BIG return and his inclusion sees Ben Te’o move to the interchange bench and Ethan Bullemor dropped to the reserves.
COWBOYS
Teams comment: Josh McGuire (suspension) returns at prop which sees Corey Jensen move to the interchange bench while Gavin Cooper will start in his final NRL game and he’s joined in the starting lineup by Jason Taumalolo. John Asiata (suspension) returns and Tom Gilbert goes to the bench along with Francis Molo with Emry Pere and Ben Condon sliding out of the 17.
TITANS
Teams comment: Brian Kelly returns from injury and slots into the centres with Treymain Spry moving to the wing in place of a banged up Corey Thompson.
KNIGHTS
Teams comment: Bradman Best is back and he’s joined in the backline by last week’s late withdrawal Edrick Lee with Sarford To’a and Gehamat Shibasaki making way. Kurt Mann returns from suspension and will start at hooker which sees Chris Randall slide to theinterchange and Phoenix Crossland dropped. Lachlan Fitzgibbon is replaced on an edge by Sione Mata’utia which sees Brodie Jones come on to the interchange.
RABBITOHS
Teams comment: Dane Gagai returns from a one week suspension and he’ll play centre in place of Steven Marsters. Jaydn Su’A is suspended which means a start for Jed Cartwright with Patrick Mago coming on the interchange.
ROOSTERS
Teams comment: Some big inclusions for the Roosters with Jake Friend, Boyd Cordner, Siosiua Taukeiaho and James Tedesco all back on deck. Friend resumes his hooker role in place of Freddy Lussick while Cordner starts on an edge which sees Angus Crichton shift to lock. Isaac Liu, Lindsay Collins and Joey Manu get a rest. Lachlan Lam is back from injury and he comes in as bench utility in place of Drew Hutchison.
BULLDOGS
Teams comment: Just one change for the Bulldogs with Josh Jackson and Chris Smith switching between second row and lock respectively.
PANTHERS
Teams comment: Changes galore at the Panthers. Dylan Edwards is rested with Daine Laurie to start at fullback. Viliame Kikau and Stephen Crichton are rested with Kurt Capewell to start at second row and Tyrone May to start in the centres. Api Koroisau, James Tamou and Zane Tetevano all return after being rested last week. Matt Burton comes on to the interchange and Jack Hetherington is dropped to the reserves.
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SHARKS
Teams comment: Wade Graham will play his first game in the halves in five years with the star backrower to replace Shaun Johnson in the halves for Cronulla’s clash with Canberra. Rookie halfback Braydon Trindall has been named on an extended bench. Josh Dugan and Sione Katoa are also out for the Sharks with Nene Macdonald and Mawene Hiroti to come in at wing and centre respectively. Teig Wilton comes on to the bench in place of Royce Hunt.
RAIDERS
Teams comment: Absolute carnage at the Raiders! With Ricky Stuart resting — among others — stars Jack Wighton, Josh Papalii, George Williams and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Debutant Adam Cook will start at fullback while Sam Williams and Matt Frawley are the new halves pairing. Sia Soliola returns after missing a number of weeks due to a gruesome facial injury. Jarrod Croker and Jordan Rapana are both rested which sees a new centre pairing of Matt Timoko and Harley Smith-Shields. John Bateman is out despite early reports to the contrary as is his English edge mate in Elliot Whitehead, lock Joseph Tapne is out too. The new backrow will be Hudson Young, Corey Harawira-Naera and Siliva Havili. Kai O’Donnell, Darby Medlyn and Jarrett Subloo are the fresh faces on the interchange.
WESTS TIGERS
Teams comment: Joey Leilua is dropped, replaced at centre by Tommy Talau. Luke Brooks returns from suspension which sees Josh Reynolds drop to the reserves. Josh Aloiai (knee) is replaced by Zane Musgrove while Sam McIntyre (HIA) is replaced by Luke Garner on an edge. Alex Twal returns after missing last week and starts at lock which pushes Matt Eisenhuth to the bench. Fresh faces on the interchange with Elijah Taylor, Shawn Blore and Michael Chee-Kam coming in and Russell Packer and Jacob Liddle dropped.
EELS
Teams comment: No changes for Eels other than Junior Paulo and Shaun Lane swapping from bench to the starting lineup while Kane Evans and Andrew Davey head to the bench.
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WARRIORS
Teams comment: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (hamstring) is replaced at fullback by Peta Hiku. Hayze Perham shifts to centre for Hiku and Patrick Herbert (hamstring) returns on the wing. Eliesa Katoa (hand) returns from injury in the pack. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown returns on the interchange with Tom Ale and Josh Curran dropping off. Jack Murchie drops to the interchange.
SEA EAGLES
Teams comment: Tom Trbojevic (shoulder) and Jack Gosiewski (hamstring) are out. Trbojevic is replaced by Tevita Funa at fullback with Reuben Garrick (shoulder) returning on the wing. Corey Waddell starts in the second row for Gosiewski. Haumole Olakau’atu joins the bench. Abbas Miski starts on the other wing with Albert Hopoate dropping to the interchange.
DRAGONS
Teams comment: Two debutants with Jayden Sullivan in the halves and middle forward Eddie Blacker on the bench. Adam Clune returns from injury at halfback with Ben Hunt (suspension) and Corey Norman (dropped) both out. Jordan Pereira has also been dropped to reserves with Max Feagai to start on the wing. Euan Aitken (hamstring) returns at centre for Brayden Wiliame.
STORM
Teams comment: Melbourne Storm has named an unprecedented 16 possible inclusions for Sunday’s dead-rubber against St George Illawarra at Kogarah. Only five players from the side that defeated Wests 50-22 last Saturday will back-up for the home-and-away season finale. Ryan Papenhuyzen, who will captain the side in the absence of the entire five-man Storm leadership group headed by Cameron Smith, and Christian Welch will return for a pre-finals tune-up after missing the past two matches through injury and suspension. Loaned centre Paul Momirovski will get the chance to stake claim on a starting position after missing two months of action, while Super League recruit Ricky Leutele will make his Storm debut. Cooper Johns and Ryley Jacks will pair up in the halves, with Brandon Smith at hooker. Nicho Hynes, Darren Schonig, Albert Vete and Aaron Pene round out the top 17 from a host of young and development players.
- Gilbert Gardiner
Originally published as NRL team lists Round 20: Mass players rested ahead of finals | KFC SuperCoach NRL