NRL teams for semi finals 2023: The six make-or-break calls set to define weekend action
Mass-interest from the New Zealand media has led the Warriors to provide a crucial update on injured playmaker Shaun Johnson. These are the six make-or-break calls set to define week two of the finals.
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They’re the make-or-break calls that could mean the difference between an NRL preliminary final and Mad Monday.
Brent Read looks at the big selection calls for week two of the finals.
Plus scroll down for full NRL teams.
SOLO MISSION: WARRIORS’ JOHNSON UPDATE
- David Riccio
Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson is on a solo mission to return from a calf injury by taking no part in the club’s crucial team training sessions.
Mass-interest from the New Zealand media has led the Warriors to provide a crucial update on the injured star ahead of the club’s must-win semi final against Newcastle on Saturday afternoon.
In a statement on Wednesday, the club said: “Shaun has progressed well this week undergoing various training scenarios.
“He trained well this morning (Wednesday) by himself.
“Tomorrow Shaun will not train with the team to enable him to have the best preparation for game day on Saturday.”
Johnson missed the Warriors week one finals loss to Penrith due to the calf niggle.
The Warriors may be forced to roll the dice on Johnson due to the do-or-die nature of their clash with the Knights.
MAKE-OR-BREAK CALLS TO DEFINE WEEK TWO
- Brent Read
Olam is back
Justin Olam has been languishing in the Queensland Cup for weeks now – the final regular season round against Brisbane was the exception – but he finally gets his chance as coach Craig Bellamy hands him a recall in place of Young Tonumaipea.
The Storm were blitzed down Tonumaipea’s side of the field a week ago but Olam is a defensive leviathan and his return will put the fear of God into the Sydney Roosters’ spare-parts outside backs.
His absence has prompted plenty of head-scratching but it has purely been form-related. The Storm need Olam to quickly rediscover this mojo and there may be no better place to bring out the best in the Papua New Guinean than AAMI Park on Friday night.
The centre position has been a bugbear for the Storm all season, in part because Olam has suffered from an alarming form slump.
He isn’t the only change to the Storm backline – Reimis Smith makes his return as well on the wing in place of the injured Xavier Coates as Bellamy resisted the urge to hand a call-up to youngster Sua Faalogo.
Faalogo made a breathtaking debut against the Broncos in the final round but was named on an extended bench as Bellamy opted for experience over youthful enthusiasm in his backline.
Return of the Roosters hero
The Sydney Roosters are facing a paucity of backline options and they have dug deep to find enough players to take on the Storm on Friday night.
Paul Momirovski has only played two games in first grade this season and was last sighted against the Warriors in round nine.
He has some finals pedigree though. Five years ago, Momirovski was promoted to the Roosters side in place of the suspended Latrell Mitchell after a clandestine conversation between coach Trent Robinson and then-captain Boyd Cordner.
Momirovski had played just one NRL game prior to his promotion but quickly went from unknown replacement to Roosters hero as he inspired a win over South Sydney.
The Roosters are no doubt hoping for a similar result on Friday night.
“The guys that are going to come in have played numerous games all year,” Roosters captain James Tedesco said.
“They have been around the team all year and they have been training. It’s not like they are guys who have never played NRL or been around the team.
“It is not about telling those guys not to stuff up. It is about backing them and giving them the confidence to play.
“I think at the start of the year there was a lot of expectation and pressure on us to perform. We had a lot of weight on our shoulders.
“Then after Origin when we had to win every game, we took that weight off our shoulders. Having those good honest conversations with each other as a team and a staff.
“It has been young guys doing a good job for us, experienced guys leading the way. When we’re all in the same path and we’re all clear, that is when we play our best footy.”
Paulo back from wilderness
Jaxson Paulo is the forgotten Rooster who has won a recall. Paulo has played 11 games this season but only one since the loss to the Dragons in round 12 – and that was as a replacement.
He started the season on fire, scoring six tries through his opening five games. The fire went out though and Paulo found life more difficult after that, eventually being relegated to the NSW Cup.
The Manly-bound flyer has had to bide his time for another chance and it has now arrived on the biggest stage. If the Sea Eagles had their way, they would have got their hands on him midway through the season but the Roosters dug in their heels and it may prove a masterstroke given he has now been pitched into a sudden-death final.
A Samoan international, Paulo played in the 2021 grand final for South Sydney so the bright lights shouldn’t be a problem. What could be an issue is his defence – his tackle efficiency has been less than 74 per cent this season.
He comes into a side flying high after their backs-to-the-wall win over Cronulla last weekend.
“I didn’t really understand how big it was until I watched the tape back,” hooker Brandon Smith said.
“Our backs were against the wall pretty much the whole game. We showed some grit. I believe that sometimes that grit is not going to be good enough.
“We need to be impenetrable in defence and all that but also when you have the ball, you need to be more clinical. We played poor footy in most parts of the game and the only reason we hung on was because we wanted to.
“That is not going to win us grand finals.”
The halfbacks
Shaun Johnson is back for the Warriors but Jackson Hastings is out for Newcastle as Teams Tuesday became a story of the two No.7s.
Johnson still has to prove his fitness but he has been named in the Warriors side in a pointer towards his intended comeback.
What a difference he will make. Johnson has been the Warriors’ best player this year. He is their undoubted talisman. His return is just another reason for the Warriors faithful to rip in at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Sadly, Hastings won’t be there. He had indicated that he would do everything possible to play but he couldn’t make it in the end and coach Adam O’Brien handed the halfback duties to Adam Clune.
He has been an able deputy. In three appearances over the latter stages of the season in the absence of Hastings with his ankle problem, the Knights barely skipped a beat.
They won all three games and they won them handsomely. Clune was sensational in each, recording three try assists and proving a quality replacement for Hastings.
Now he has to do it in a final, a foreign concept given it will be the first post-season appearance of his career.
Deadly Dylan
The last time Dylan Lucas pulled on a Knights jersey in the NRL, he had a day to remember. Afterwards, coach Adam O’Brien warned we hadn’t seen the best of the former winger who has been transformed into a hard-running back rower.
Now we’re about to find out. Lucas has been pitched into the spot vacated by the injured Lachlan Fitzgibbon and he will need to be at his best as the Knights’ season goes on the line.
Fitzgibbon leaves a gaping hole. He has been outstanding for Newcastle this season as he prepares to farewell the club at the end of the year to switch to Super League.
Lucas has the chance to take out of an early mortgage on his jersey as he prepares to head across the ditch in a game which will dictate the Knights’ season.
Brandon’s back
Brandon Smith has had a mixed first season at the Sydney Roosters but he has hit his straps at the right time of the year as he prepares to face old mates at AAMI Park.
The nuggety hooker is one of the game’s genuine characters but he has the ability to be a matchwinner for the Roosters.
Smith knows the Storm better than most. He spent years at the club on his way to becoming a Test player. He also knows that form is temporary and class is permanent.
On that front, he expects the Storm and longtime teammate Cameron Munster to rebound on Friday night from their terrible performance against the Broncos.
Munster is among those to have struggled but Smith knows what is coming.
“Whether he was playing or not I was still worried about him,” Smith said.
“He is one of the best players in the world and big games are his thing. You just watch him in the Origin, you watch him for Australia, and big games are his go-to.
“He loves the moments and playing in front of his home fans. Obviously he is going be hard to handle. Even when he plays bad, he is still hard to tackle.”
Smith himself has had his form struggles this year but he is well and truly back to his best, having rebuilt his confidence when sidelined with a hand injury.
“I had a good period during the injury I had,” Smith said.
“I got trained really hard, I built a bit of trust in the team with my defence. When you are confident … things just happen for you. When you are not confident, you kind of just go in your shell.
“I feel like that was where I was at.”
STORM V ROOSTERS
FRIDAY, 7.50PM, AAMI PARK, MELBOURNE
Storm: 1. Nick Meaney 2. William Warbrick 3. Marion Seve 4. Justin Olam 5. Reimis Smith 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Harry Grant 10. Christian Welch 11. Trent Loiero 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Josh King 14. Alec MacDonald 15. Tom Eisenhuth 16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 17. Tariq Sims 18. Grant Anderson 19. Bronson Garlick 20. Tepai Moeroa 21. Tyran Wishart 22. Sualauvi Faalogo
Analysis: Xavier Coates is out with an ankle injury, replaced on the wing by Reimis Smith.
Justin Olam has been recalled in the centres with Young Tonumaipea making way.
Ryan Papenhuyzen had six screws and a plate inserted into his fractured leg and won’t play again this season.
Alec MacDonald comes onto the bench for Papenhuyzen.
Marion Seve and Tom Eisenhuth passed head injury assessments and should be free to play but forward Trent Loiero will be monitored during the week.
Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Fetalaiga Pauga 3. Paul Momirovski 4. Corey Allan 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Fletcher Baker 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Siua Wong 12. Nat Butcher 13. Victor Radley 14. Sandon Smith 15. Egan Butcher 16. Terrell May 17. Angus Crichton 18. Drew Hutchison 19. Naufahu Whyte 20. Zach Dockar-Clay 21. Jake Turpin 22. Nathan Brown
Analysis: In a triple backline setback, Billy Smith (jaw), Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (concussion) and Joey Manu (hamstring) are all out.
Paul Momirovski and Corey Allan are the new centres while Jaxson Paulo comes in on the wing.
In a boost for the Roosters, Sam Walker escaped suspension for a dangerous tackle and has been cleared of a serious ankle injury.
“It’s a bit sore but he’ll be fine,” said coach Trent Robinson.
WARRIORS V KNIGHTS
SATURDAY, 4.05PM (EST), GO MEDIA STADIUM, AUCKLAND
Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Adam Pompey 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Jackson Ford 12. Marata Niukore 13. Tohu Harris 14. Dylan Walker 15. Jazz Tevaga 16. Bayley Sironen 17. Josh Curran 18. Freddy Lussick 20. Taine Tuaupiki 21. Bunty Afoa 22. Tom Ale 23. Edward Kosi
Analysis: Shaun Johnson missed the Panthers game through a calf injury but has been named and should be fit for the sudden-death Auckland final.
“I’m confident he will be right,” said Warriors coach Andrew Webster. Dylan Walker substituted admirably but the Warriors desperately need Johnson.
The Warriors also received a shot in the arm with skipper Tohu Harris escaping a ban for a crusher tackle on Luke Garner in Saturday’s 32-6 loss to Penrith. Harris copped a $1,000 fine with an early plea.
Johnson is likely to be given up until Friday to prove he’s overcome a calf injury.
Johnson has made progression in his recovery, but was still restricted to light duties only at Warriors training on Tuesday.
There is a genuine level of confidence that the Dally M medal favourite will play, but Warriors coaching staff members are unwilling to declare Johnson a definite starter until he is put under strenuous physical testing closer to kick-off.
Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Adam Clune 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Dylan Lucas 13. Adam Elliott 14. Kurt Mann 15. Daniel Saifiti 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Mathew Croker 18. Brodie Jones 19. Enari Tuala 20. Fa’amanu Brown 21. Lachlan Miller 22. Jack Johns
Analysis: Jackson Hastings (ankle) is replaced in the halves by Adam Clune.
Lachlan Fitzgibbon could have played his last game for the Knights with the back-rower sidelined with a shoulder issue.
He is replaced in the forwards by Dylan Lucas.
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