NRL Teams Round 6: Under-fire coaches brutally swing the axe

Two of the most under-fire coaches in the game after five rounds have made bold calls as they try to turn their seasons around.

Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur has made a big call, swinging the axe on try-scoring winger Maika Sivo ahead of the clash against the North Queensland Cowboys.

Sivo scored both of the Eels tries in the side’s 41-8 thrashing at the hands of the Canberra Raiders on Sunday night but didn’t offer too much more with 11 runs for just 79m despite making two line breaks.

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Sivo missed the start of the Eels’ season when he was banned for three matches after a high shot on Gold Coast’s AJ Brimson in the pre-season.

Arthur has also made some big moves with young gun Blaize Talagi also dumped to the reserves with Daejarn Asi coming into five-eighth.

There’s also been a backline reshuffle with Bailey Simonsson going from centre to the wing and Morgan Harper being recalled to the centres.

The Eels will also be buoyed by the return of second rower Bryce Cartwright, who was named to start.

The Eels have started the season 2-3 after five games and sit in 14th place, clearly missing halfback Mitchell Moses.

Sivo has been dumped to the bench for the Eels. Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Souths are making big moves for their crunch match against the Sharks.

Debutant Jye Gray replaces the suspended Latrell Mitchell at fullback, speedy winger Tyrone Munro will play his fourth game, while Damien Cook has been named 18th man with eight-gamer Peter Mamouzelos set to start.

“We know we’re going to have that flair and young energy out there, they’ve got the young fresh legs and it’s exciting,” Jack Wighton said.

Reports have been swirling all week that Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou set to head for the exit without a victory on Saturday, and it’s a bold move for the under-fire coach.

But there’s good news for the Broncos with fullback Reece Walsh named to make his return at fullback from a facial fracture in the Battle of Brisbane against the Dolphins.

It sets up a mouthwatering clash between the two No. 1s with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow lining up for the Dolphins.

Walsh’s return will see Tristan Sailor drop to the bench as a utility player.

The match will also see Anthony Milford’s first match of the year off the bench for the Dolphins.

And after losing Felise Kaufusi, Herbie Farnworth and Thomas Flegler during the match against the Tigers, Flegler has been name to start in the front row.

THURSDAY APRIL 11

Newcastle Knights vs Sydney Roosters @ McDonald Jones Stadium, 7:50pm

KNIGHTS | 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Thomas Jenkins 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Enari Tuala 6. Jack Cogger 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Adam Elliott

Interchange: 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Daniel Saifiti 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Mathew Croker

Reserves: 18. Jed Cartwright 19. Brodie Jones 20. Tyson Gamble 21. Will Pryce 22. Greg Marzhew

ROOSTERS | 1. Joseph Manu 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Michael Jennings 4. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii 5. Fetalaiga Pauga 6. Connor Watson 7. Luke Keary 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Nat Butcher 12. Angus Crichton 13. Victor Radley

Interchange: 14. Zach Dockar-Clay 15. Naufahu Whyte 16. Sitili Tupouniua 17. Terrell May

Reserves: 18. Egan Butcher 19. Lewis Murphy 20. Benaiah Ioelu 21. Hugo Savala 22. Siua Wong

FRIDAY APRIL 12

Melbourne Storm vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs @ AAMI Park, 6pm

STORM | 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. William Warbrick 3. Reimis Smith 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero

Interchange: 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Christian Welch 16. Tepai Moeroa 17. Alec MacDonald

Reserves: 18. Joe Chan 19. Jack Howarth 20. Marion Seve 21. Jonah Pezet 22. Nelson Asofa-Solomona

BULLDOGS | 1. Stephen Crichton 2. Connor Tracey 3. Jacob Kiraz 4. Bronson Xerri 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Matt Burton 7. Drew Hutchison 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Chris Patolo 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Josh Curran 13. Jaeman Salmon

Interchange: 14. Bailey Hayward 15. Poasa Faamausili 16. Samuel Hughes 17. Kitione Kautoga

Reserves: 19. Toby Sexton 20. Liam Knight 21. Jake Turpin 22. Jeral Skelton 23. Harry Hayes

Brisbane Broncos vs Dolphins @ Suncorp Stadium, 8pm

BRONCOS | 1. Reece Walsh 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Selwyn Cobbo 5. Jesse Arthars 6. Ezra Mam 7. Jock Madden 8. Corey Jensen 9. Billy Walters 10. Fletcher Baker 11. Jaiyden Hunt 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan

Interchange: 14. Tyson Smoothy 15. Xavier Willison 16. Kobe Hetherington 17. Tristan Sailor

Reserves: 18. Martin Taupau 19. Benjamin Te Kura 20. Jordan Pereira 21. Blake Mozer 22. Josiah Karapani

DOLPHINS | 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Tesi Niu 5. Jack Bostock 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Thomas Flegler 11. Kenny Bromwich 12. Euan Aitken 13. Ray Stone

Interchange: 14. Josh Kerr 15. Anthony Milford 16. Mark Nicholls 17. Jarrod Wallace

Reserves: 18. Oryn Keeley 19. Sean O’Sullivan 20. Mason Teague 21. Valynce Te Whare 22. Lachlan Hubner

Reece Walsh is firming for his return. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

SATURDAY APRIL 13

New Zealand Warriors vs Manly Sea Eagles at Go Media Stadium, 3pm

WARRIORS | 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Jackson Ford 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Tohu Harris

Interchange: 14. Chanel Harris-Tavita 15. Tom Ale 16. Jazz Tevaga 17. Jacob Laban

Reserves: 18. Adam Pompey 20. Taine Tuaupiki 21. Zyon Maiu’u 22. Edward Kosi 23. Ali Leiataua

SEA EAGLES | 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Tommy Talau 3. Tolutau Koula 4. Ben Trbojevic 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Josh Aloiai 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Corey Waddell 13. Jake Trbojevic

Interchange: 14. Karl Lawton 15. Ethan Bullemor 16. Toafofoa Sipley 17. Nathan Brown

Reserves: 18. Jakob Arthur 19. Aaron Woods 20. Brad Parker 21. Raymond Tuiamalo Vaega 22. Gordon Chan Kum Tong

Parramatta Eels vs North Queensland Cowboys @ CommBank Stadium, 5:30pm

EELS | 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Bailey Simonsson 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Morgan Harper 5. Sean Russell 6. Daejarn Asi 7. Dylan Brown 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Joey Lussick 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. J’maine Hopgood

Interchange: 14. Luca Moretti 15. Ryan Matterson 16. Joe Ofahengaue 17. Kelma Tuilagi

Reserves: 18. Ofahiki Ogden 19. Blaize Talagi 20. Wiremu Greig 21. Makahesi Makatoa 22. Maika Sivo

COWBOYS | 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Tomas Chester 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter

Interchange: 14. Jake Granville 15. Griffin Neame 16. Sam McIntyre 17. Jack Gosiewski

Reserves: 18. Jake Clifford 19. Thomas Mikaele 20. Semi Valemei 21. Jamal Shibasaki 22. Viliami Vailea

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Cronulla Sharks @ Accor Stadium, 7:35pm

RABBITOHS | 1. Jye Gray 2. Tyrone Munro 3. Jack Wighton 4. Isaiah Tass 5. Taane Milne 6. Cody Walker 7. Dean Hawkins 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Peter Mamouzelos 10. Thomas Burgess 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Jacob Host 13. Cameron Murray

Interchange: 14. Michael Chee Kam 15. Siliva Havili 16. Shaquai Mitchell 17. Davvy Moale

Reserves: 18. Damien Cook 19. Jacob Gagai 20. Sean Keppie 21. Tallis Duncan 22. Dion Teaupa

SHARKS | 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Kayal Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Thomas Hazelton 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes

Interchange: 14. Billy Burns 15. Jack Williams 16. Siosifa Talakai 17. Tuku Hau Tapuha

Reserves: 18. Daniel Atkinson 19. Jayden Berrell 20. Toby Rudolf 21. Samuel Stonestreet 22. Braden Hamlin-Uele

Damien Cook has been dumped to the reserves bench for Souths. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

SUNDAY APRIL 14

Wests Tigers vs St. George-Illawarra Dragons @ Campbelltown Stadium, 4:05pm

TIGERS | 1. Jahream Bula 2. Charlie Staines 3. Solomona Faataape 4. Justin Olam 5. Junior Tupou 6. Jayden Sullivan 7. Aidan Sezer 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. David Klemmer 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. Alex Seyfarth 13. Fonua Pole

Interchange: 14. Jake Simpkin 15. Alex Twal 16. Justin Matamua 17. Asu Kepaoa

Reserves: 18. Solomon Alaimalo 19. Josh Feledy 20. Tony Sukkar 21. Kit Laulilii 22. Brandon Tumeth

DRAGONS | 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Zac Lomax 3. Moses Suli 4. Jack Bird 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Kyle Flanagan 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Jacob Liddle 10. Hame Sele 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Tom Eisenhuth

Interchange: 14. Jesse Marschke 15. Blake Lawrie 16. Jack de Belin 17. Raymond Faitala-Mariner

Reserves: 18. Ben Murdoch-Masila 19. Christian Tuipulotu 20. Michael Molo 21. Toby Couchman 22. Mathew Feagai

Canberra Raiders vs Gold Coast Titans @ GIO Stadium, 6:15pm

RAIDERS | 1. Chevy Stewart 2. James Schiller 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Danny Levi 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Zac Hosking 13. Morgan Smithies

Interchange: 14. Tom Starling 15. Ata Mariota 16. Trey Mooney 17. Pasami Saulo

Reserves: 18. Kaeo Weekes 19. Simi Sasagi 20. Zac Woolford 21. Nick Cotric 22. Emre Guler

Analysis: To come.

TITANS | 1. Jayden Campbell 2. Harley Smith-Shields 3. Brian Kelly 4. AJ Brimson 5. Jojo Fifita 6. Kieran Foran 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Chris Randall 10. Jaimin Jolliffe 11. David Fifita 12. Beau Fermor 13. Klese Haas

Interchange: 14. Sam Verrills 15. Erin Clark 16. Isaac Liu 17. Josiah Pahulu

Reserves: 18. Joe Stimson 19. Keano Kini 20. Iszac Fa’asumaleaui 21. Tony Francis 22. Alofiana Khan-Pereira

Bye: Panthers

Originally published as NRL Teams Round 6: Under-fire coaches brutally swing the axe