NRL Late Mail round 6: Thomas Cant a SuperCoach must have cheapie after Knights injuries

The Knights have been decimated by injury ahead of their Wests Tigers lineup, with a must-have SuperCoach cheapie emerging. See all the latest team news.

North Queensland’s 2025 recruit John Bateman (illness) is a late withdrawal from the team set to take on South Sydney in perth.

Bateman is replaced in the starting lineup by Maroons star Jeremiah Nanai with Harrison Edwards moving up from the reserves to the interchange bench.

THE CHEAPIE YOU CANT IGNORE

– Michael Carayannis

Newcastle back-rower Dylan Lucas is inching closer to a return from a hamstring injury but is still a few weeks away from taking the field.

Lucas has been sidelined since hurting his hamstring in round two against the Dolphins.

He has begun light running with the Knights originally indicating he would miss six weeks.

That time frame remains unchanged.

Young gun Thomas Cant has starred as Lucas’s replacement in recent weeks.

Cant is the most popular player in SuperCoach this week with over 25,000 on board and counting.

Dylan Lucas is still a few weeks away after a hamstring injury. Picture: NRL Images

LATE MAIL ROUND 6

EELS V RAIDERS

7:35pm, TIO Stadium, Darwin

Eels

1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Josh Addo-Carr 3. Will Penisini 4. Sean Russell 20. Bailey Simonsson 6. Dylan Brown 7. Dean Hawkins 8. Joe Ofahengaue 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. J’maine Hopgood

Interchange: 14. Dylan Walker 15. Luca Moretti 16. Charlie Guymer 19. Dan Keir

Reserves: 18. Joash Papalii 22. Ryan Matterson

Cut: 5. Zac Lomax 17. Sam Tuivaiti 21. Ronald Volkman

Late Mail: Zac Lomax will miss up to six weeks with a fractured foot – all-but ending his hopes of playing State of Origin I. Bailey Simonsson will come into the side for his first NRL appearance of the season, having returned through NSW Cup and overcoming an ACL injury suffered last year.

—Full story by Dean Ritchie

Raiders

1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Savelio Tamale 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Tom Starling 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Matt Nicholson 13. Corey Horsburgh

Interchange: 14. Owen Pattie 15. Simi Sasagi 16. Morgan Smithies 17. Ata Mariota

Reserves: 18. Trey Mooney 19. Jed Stuart

Cut: 20. Adam Cook 21. Pasami Saulo 22. Danny Levi

Late Mail: Set to be unchanged for the trip to Darwin.

STORM V WARRIORS

Sunday 2pm, AAMI Park, Melbourne

Storm

1. Ryan Papenhuyzen, 2. Grant Anderson, 3. Jack Howarth, 4. Moses Leo, 5. Xavier Coates, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. Stefano Utoikamanu, 9. Harry Grant, 10. Josh King, 11. Shawn Blore, 12. Eliesa Katoa, 13. Trent Loiero

Interchange: 14. Tyran Wishart, 15. Alec MacDonald, 16. Tui Kamikamica, 17. Bronson Garlick.

Reserves: 18. Joe Chan, 20. Jacob Laban

Cut: 19. Lazarus Vaalepu 21. Samuel Healey, 22. Te Maire Martin

Late Mail: No changes in the 24-hour team update. Ryan Papenhuyzen is right to go despite failing to finish due to a corked glute.

Xavier Coates also left the field early with a minor hamstring niggle.

Will Warbrick and Nelson Asofa-Solomona remain unavailable for selection due to concussion with return dates yet to be set.

Warriors

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Taine Tuaupiki, 3. Rocco Berry, 4. Ali Leiataua, 5. Adam Pompey, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Luke Metcalf, 8. James Fisher-Harris (captain), 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Mitchell Barnett, 11. Kurt Capewell, 12. Marata Niukore, 13. Erin Clark

Interchange: 14. Bunty Afoa, 15. Jackson Ford, 16. Demitric Vaimauga, 17. Leka Halasima

Reserves: 18. Tanah Boyd 20. Jacob Laban

Cut: 21. Samuel Healey 22. Te Maire Martin 23. Edward Kosi

Late Mail: No changes in the 24-hour team update. The Warriors are rested up after the bye. Rocco Berry is confirmed to return from a hamstring injury, with Adam Pompey shifting to the wing and Ed Kosi to reserves.

KNIGHTS V TIGERS

Sunday 4:05pm, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle

Knights

1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Kyle McCarthy, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Bradman Best, 5. Greg Marzhew, 6. Fletcher Sharpe, 7. Phoenix Crossland, 8. Brodie Jones, 9. Jayden Brailey, 10. Leo Thompson, 11. Thomas Cant, 12. Kai Pearce-Paul, 13. Tyson Frizell

Interchange: 14. Matthew Arthur, 15. Tyrone Thompson, 16. Jermaine McEwen, 17. Mat Croker.

Reserves: 18. Paul Bryan, 19. Jackson Hastings,

Cut: 20. Riley Jones, 21. Francis Manuleleua

Late Mail: Dylan Lucas is on track to return in round 8-9 from a hamstring injury. The Knights have lost five players in one week – Jack Hetherington (shoulder), Jacob Saifiti (calf), James Schiller (concussion), Jack Cogger (finger) and Adam Elliott (calf).

Wests Tigers

1. Jahream Bula, 2. Sunia Turuva, 3. Adam Doueihi, 4. Starford To’a, 5. Jeral Skelton, 6. Lachlan Galvin, 7. Jarome Luai, 8. Terrell May, 9. Apisai Koroisau, 10. Fonua Pole, 11. Samuela Fainu, 12. Alex Seyfarth, 13. Alex Twal

Interchange: 14. Tallyn Da Silva, 15. Royce Hunt, 16. Jack Bird, 17. Sione Fainu

Reserves: 19. Heath Mason, 21. Brent Naden

Cut: 18. Tony Sukkar, 20. Luke Laulilii, 22. Kit Laulilii

Late Mail: Jarome Luai (shoulder), Jeral Skelton (hamstring) and Samuela Fainu (leg) are all named to return from injury.

Originally published as NRL Late Mail round 6: Thomas Cant a SuperCoach must have cheapie after Knights injuries