NRL Late Mail round 17: Cameron Murray will play for South Sydney after being under used in Origin II

Gold Coast Titans make shock selection call for Queensland derby, while South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou confirm Cameron Murray will back up after Origin to play the Cowboys.

Cameron Munster is in doubt for the Storm’s clash with Manly. Picture: Getty

Latrell Mitchell has been ruled out of Origin III opening the door for teammate Campbell Graham to make his NSW debut.

Mitchell had been picked in back to back Origin games but failed to be fit to play after injuring his calf in the lead-up to game one.

Demetriou said Mitchell may not be back until at least round 21 which not only rules him out of Origin but means he will miss two months for South Sydney by the time he returns.

Latrell Mitchell has a jog at NSW training this week. NRL Imagery

“He won’t be available for game three – his calf is not responding – and he won’t play until after the bye,” Demetriou said. “It’s taken longer than we thought. With the calf, they can sometimes scan better than they are. We had the same with Hame (Sele) earlier in the year and we’ve had similar problems with Jacob Host (where) the scan says one thing but the way they respond and are able to train is the opposite.

“We’re not in the position where we need to rush it at all. We need to make sure we get Latrell fit and firing for after that bye week.”

The Blues are on the lookout for a new centre given Tom Trbojevic is ruled out for the rest of the season after rupturing his pectoral in Origin II.

Campbell Graham was 18th man ahead of game one but was eventually ruled out with a sternum injury. He would have made his debut to replace Mitchell following his teammates late withdrawal but handed his spot over to Stephen Crichton.

Kotoni Staggs and Matt Burton are other options.

Cameron Murray will back-up from Origin, with Souths critical of how he was utilised by the Blues in Game II. Picture: Getty Images.

Demetriou confirmed NSW pair Damien Cook and Cameron Murray would back-up to play the Cowboys. The Rabbitohs coach was confused by the use of Murray by NSW coach Brad Fittler.

“I’m not too sure how a player of his level sits on the bench for 50 minutes,” Demetriou said. “It’s up to the coaches. It’s never easy. You get it right, you don’t get the plaudits. You get it wrong, you get hammered. It’s the unfortunate part of being the head coach.”

Meanwhile, Warriors back-rower Marata Niukore will miss three games with an early guilty plea. The Roosters also cleared Luke Keary of a broken jaw with the veteran half expected to line up for their clash against the Raiders on Sunday.

BRONCOS v TITANS

Sunday, 2pm, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Broncos: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Selwyn Cobbo 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Thomas Flegler 9. Billy Walters 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan

Bench: 14. Tyson Smoothy 15. Corey Jensen 16. Kobe Hetherington 17. Martin Taupau

Interchange: 18. Jesse Arthars 23. Tristan Sailor

Players cut: 19. Keenan Palasia 20. Deine Mariner 21. Xavier Willison 22. Jock Madden 24. Cory Paix

Late Mail: Reece Walsh, Pat Carrigan, Thomas Flegler and Payne Haas have been named to back up. Walsh is free to play after he copped only a fine for his Origin scuffle with Jarome Luai. Haas took on a huge workload for the Blues, playing 67 minutes.

Titans: 1. AJ Brimson 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Aaron Schoupp 5. Phillip Sami 6. Kieran Foran 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Sam Verrills 10. Jaimin Jolliffe 11. David Fifita 12. Joe Stimson 13. Isaac Liu

Bench: 14. Jayden Campbell 15. Erin Clark 19. Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui

Interchange: 18. Chris Randall 20. Jojo Fifita

Players cut: 17. Klese Haas 21. Kruise Leeming 22. Jo Vuna 23. Keano Kini 24. Ken Maumalo

Late Mail: Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has been rested for the clash after playing 42 minutes in Queensland’s origin win. The Titans made one other change 24-hours before kick-off, with Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui joining the bench, and Klese Haas dropping out of the team.Key forwards David Fifita (49 minutes) and Moeaki Fotuaika (31 minutes) are looking to back up from Origin. Kieran Foran (toe) will return.

RABBITOHS v COWBOYS

Sunday, 4:05pm, Accor Stadium, Sydney

Rabbitohs: 1. Blake Taaffe 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Campbell Graham 5. Richard Kennar 6. Cody Walker 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Damien Cook 10. Hame Sele 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Jed Cartwright 13. Cameron Murray

Bench: 14. Michael Chee Kam 15. Siliva Havili 16. Davvy Moale 17. Thomas Burgess

Interchange: 19. Peter Mamouzelos 20. Jacob Host

Players cut: 18. Tyrone Munro 21. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 22. Dean Hawkins

Late Mail: Cody Walker (quad) is right to return barring any last-minute mishap. Damien Cook and Cameron Murray are looking to back up. Murray played only 33 minutes in Origin after a disrupted preparation due to a groin injury. Davvy Moale returned through NSW Cup last week and has been promoted to the top grade this week. Latrell Mitchell (calf) is aiming for next week.

Cowboys: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 4. Peta Hiku 22. Valentine Holmes 5. Semi Valemei 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 20. Reece Robson 10. Coen Hess 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 9. Jake Granville

Bench: 15. Griffin Neame 16. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown 17. Jack Gosiewski 23. Reuben Cotter

Interchange: 21. Jeremiah Nanai 24. Murray Taulagi

Players cut: 3. Zac Laybutt 13. Jason Taumalolo 14. Sam McIntyre 18. Thomas Duffy 19. Riley Price

Late Mail: Jason Taumalolo is out with a hamstring injury, with Jake Granville moving to lock and NSW star Reece Robson backing up form Origin at hooker. Fellow Origin representatives Valentine Holmes will start in the centres, Reuben Cotter joins the bench, while Jeremiah Nanai and Murray Taulagi remain on the reserves and could still be late inclusions. If they are late inclusions, expect either Kyle Feldt or Semi Valemei to make way for Taulagi, while Nanai could join the squad at the expense of Kulikefu Finefeuiaki or Jack Gosiewski.

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ROOSTERS v RAIDERS

Sunday, 6:15pm, Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Billy Smith 4. Joseph Manu 5. Junior Pauga 6. Luke Keary 7. Sandon Smith 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Jake Turpin 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Egan Butcher 12. Sitili Tupouniua 13. Victor Radley

Bench: 14. Angus Crichton 15. Nathan Brown 16. Nat Butcher 17. Naufahu Whyte

Interchange: 20. Corey Allan 22. Zach Dockar-Clay

Players cut: 18. Terrell May 19. Drew Hutchison 21. Jaxson Paulo

Late Mail: The Roosters have suffered a blow with Nat Butcher dropping out of the side with an ankle injury, with Drew Hutchison the new face on the bench. Luke Keary will play after being cleared of a broken jaw. Sitili Tupouniua is racing the clock with a corked thigh. Lindsay Collins won man-of-the-match honours for the Maroons, while James Tedesco has also been named to back-up on the longest possible turnaround from Origin.

Raiders: 1. Sebastian Kris 2. Albert Hopoate 3. Jarrod Croker 4. Matthew Timoko 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Jack Wighton 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Zac Woolford 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Corey Horsburgh

Bench: 14. Tom Starling 15. Emre Guler 16. Nick Cotric 17. Pasami Saulo

Interchange: 18. Matt Frawley 20. Ata Mariota

Players cut: 19. Xavier Savage 21. Danny Levi 22. Peter Hola

Late Mail: The Raiders are unchanged with Hudson Young looking to back up from Origin. He played 62 minutes for the Blues.

Originally published as NRL Late Mail round 17: Cameron Murray will play for South Sydney after being under used in Origin II