Rabbitohs’ make shock marquee switch: Round 12 NRL Teams

The Rabbitohs have finally pulled the trigger on a huge halves move fans and commentators have been waiting for all season.

Jack Wighton is in the Bunnies’ No. 6 this weekend. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

The Rabbitohs have made a big halves switch with the club’s marquee recruit named at five-eighth in a huge shock.

Jack Wighton shocked the NRL last year when he defected from the Raiders to the Rabbitohs but has been playing in the centres rather than in the halves so far this season.

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But caretaker coach Ben Hornby has finally pulled the trigger looking to reinvigorate the Rabbitohs’ season which has so far brought only the one win after 11 rounds.

Wighton has played halves most of his career at the Raiders, and won a Dally M Medal in the position in 2020.

Elsewhere, Trent Barrett has named a near unchanged Eels line up for the match despite Brad Arthur being sacked as the club’s coach.

The Titans have named a debutant flyer, while the Broncos have welcomed back a host of stars but have lost another in the centres.

Meanwhile, the Storm’s halves headache has been solved with Jahrome Hughes named to take the field.

Read on for the NRL Teams for Round 12.

THURSDAY MAY 17

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs St George Illawarra Dragons 7.50pm AEST at Accor Stadium

Bulldogs team: 1. Connor Tracey 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Matt Burton 7. Drew Hutchison 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Samuel Hughes 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jaeman Salmon 13. Kurt Mann 14. Bailey Hayward 15. Josh Curran 16. Kurtis Morrin 17. Jacob Preston 19. Poasa Faamausili 20. Blake Taaffe 21. Jake Turpin 22. Blake Wilson 23. Toby Sexton

Dragons team: 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. Tom Eisenhuth 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Fa’amanu Brown 15. Blake Lawrie 16. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 17. Luciano Leilua 18. Ben Murdoch-Masila 19. Mathew Feagai 20. Alec Tuitavake 21. Toby Couchman 22. Jesse Marschke

FRIDAY MAY 18

North Queensland Cowboys vs Wests Tigers 6pm AEST at Queensland Country Bank Stadium

Cowboys team: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Braidon Burns 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Viliami Vailea 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Griffin Neame 11. Heilum Luki 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Sam McIntyre 15. Thomas Mikaele 16. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 17. Jason Taumalolo 18. Jake Granville 19. Jake Clifford 20. Harrison Edwards 21. Kyle Feldt 22. Jaxon Purdue

Tigers team: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Charlie Staines 3. Declan Casey 4. Josh Feledy 5. Solomon Alaimalo 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Jayden Sullivan 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. David Klemmer 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. Samuela Fainu 13. Justin Matamua 14. Jake Simpkin 15. Alex Twal 16. Alex Seyfarth 17. Fonua Pole 18. Sione Fainu 19. Alexander Lobb 20. Tallyn Da Silva 21. Tony Sukkar 22. Solomona Faataape

Jahrome Hughes is back for the Storm. Photo: NRL Photos

Manly Sea Eagles vs Melbourne Storm 8pm AEST at 4 Pines Park

Sea Eagles team: 1. Tolutau Koula 2. Jason Saab 3. Tommy Talau 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Raymond Tuiamalo Vaega 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Karl Lawton 10. Josh Aloiai 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Ben Trbojevic 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Gordon Chan Kum Tong 15. Corey Waddell 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Nathan Brown 18. Aaron Woods 19. Jakob Arthur 20. Jaxson Paulo 21. Lehi Hopoate 22. Toafofoa Sipley

Storm team: 1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. William Warbrick 3. Reimis Smith 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Tyran Wishart 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Harry Grant 10. Christian Welch 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Josh King 14. Trent Loiero 15. Grant Anderson 16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 17. Alec MacDonald 18. Bronson Garlick 19. Jack Howarth 20. Joe Chan 21. Dean Ieremia 22. Tristan Powell

SATURDAY MAY 19

Canberra Raiders vs Sydney Roosters 3pm AEST at GIO Stadium

Raiders team: 1. Jordan Rapana 2. Nick Cotric 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Kaeo Weekes 8. Emre Guler 9. Danny Levi 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Morgan Smithies 14. Tom Starling 15. Ata Mariota 16. Trey Mooney 17. Peter Hola 18. Albert Hopoate 19. Zac Woolford 20. Simi Sasagi 21. Michael Asomua 22. Hohepa Puru

Roosters team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii 4. Joseph Manu 5. Dominic Young 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Angus Crichton 12. Victor Radley 13. Naufahu Whyte 14. Sandon Smith 15. Egan Butcher 16. Spencer Leniu 17. Terrell May 18. Fetalaiga Pauga 19. Nat Butcher 20. Siua Wong 21. Zach Dockar-Clay 22. Ethan King

Jack Wighton is back in the halves. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Cronulla Sharks vs Penrith Panthers 5.30pm AEST at PointsBet Stadium

Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Kayal Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Daniel Atkinson 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Thomas Hazelton 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Jack Williams 15. Siosifa Talakai 16. Royce Hunt 17. Tuku Hau Tapuha 18. Mawene Hiroti 19. Billy Burns 20. Samuel Healey 21. Samuel Stonestreet 22. Braydon Trindall

Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Paul Alamoti 5. Brian To’o 6. Jack Cole 7. Jarome Luai 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Daine Laurie 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Liam Henry 17. Matt Eisenhuth 18. Mavrik Geyer 19. Soni Luke 20. Trent Toelau 21. Jesse McLean 22. Tyrone Peachey

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Parramatta Eels 7.35pm AEST at Accor Stadium

Rabbitohs team: 1. Latrell Mitchell 2. Alex Johnston 3. Taane Milne 4. Michael Chee Kam 5. Jacob Gagai 6. Jack Wighton 7. Cody Walker 8. Davvy Moale 9. Damien Cook 10. Sean Keppie 11. Jacob Host 12. Jai Arrow 13. Keaon Koloamatangi 14. Peter Mamouzelos 15. Tallis Duncan 16. Siliva Havili 17. Thomas Burgess 18. Dion Teaupa 19. Izaac Tu’itupou Thompson 20. Matthew French 21. Adam Christensen 22. Bayleigh Bentley-Hape

Eels team: 1. Blaize Talagi 2. Maika Sivo 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Sean Russell 5. Bailey Simonsson 6. Daejarn Asi 7. Dylan Brown 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Joey Lussick 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Ryan Matterson 13. J’maine Hopgood 14. Bryce Cartwright 15. Makahesi Makatoa 16. Joe Ofahengaue 17. Kelma Tuilagi 18. Brendan Hands 19. Morgan Harper 20. Ethan Sanders 21. Wiremu Greig 22. Luca Moretti

SUNDAY MAY 20

Brisbane Broncos vs Gold Coast Titans 2pm AEST at Suncorp Stadium

Broncos team: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Corey Oates 3. Josiah Karapani 4. Selwyn Cobbo 5. Deine Mariner 6. Ezra Mam 7. Jock Madden 8. Corey Jensen 9. Billy Walters 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan 14. Tyson Smoothy 15. Xavier Willison 16. Kobe Hetherington 17. Jack Gosiewski 18. Joshua Rogers 19. Fletcher Baker 20. Blake Mozer 21. Martin Taupau 22. Jaiyden Hunt

Titans team: 1. Keano Kini 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Jojo Fifita 5. Tony Francis 6. Chris Randall 7. Thomas Weaver 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Sam Verrills 10. Josiah Pahulu 11. David Fifita 12. Beau Fermor 13. Klese Haas 14. Keenan Palasia 15. Isaac Liu 16. Erin Clark 17. Joe Stimson 18. Jacob Alick-wiencke 19. Kieran Foran 20. Iszac Fa’asumaleaui 21. Arama Hau 22. Jaylan De Groot

New Zealand Warriors vs The Dolphins 4.05pm AEST at Go Media Stadium

Warriors team: 1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Adam Pompey 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 7. Te Maire Martin 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Freddy Lussick 10. Bunty Afoa 11. Jackson Ford 12. Mitchell Barnett 13. Dylan Walker 14. Tom Ale 15. Jazz Tevaga 16. Jacob Laban 17. Marata Niukore 18. Paul Roache 20. Chanel Harris-Tavita 21. Zyon Maiu’u 22. Edward Kosi 23. Moala Graham-Taufa

Dolphins team: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jack Bostock 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Mark Nicholls 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Euan Aitken 13. Max Plath 14. Josh Kerr 15. Kenny Bromwich 16. Ray Stone 17. Connelly Lemuelu 18. Oryn Keeley 19. Sean O’Sullivan 20. Jarrod Wallace 21. Kurt Donoghoe 22. Trai Fuller

Bye: Newcastle Knights

Originally published as Rabbitohs’ make shock marquee switch: Round 12 NRL Teams