The Brisbane Broncos have received a major boost ahead of Saturday night’s clash with the Dragons, with a star set to play after making it through the captains run on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Wests Tigers face a nervous wait after one of their key players sat out of training.
The club’s star recruit John Bateman was only named in the extended squad for Sunday’s clash — but the Bulldogs are preparing for him to play. However star half Adam Doueihi is also under a cloud after he was rested from training on Wednesday.
Plus — a big call from Storm coach Craig Bellamy, a Titans player ends a long wait and the both the Warriors and Dragons have lost a forward.
Read on for the lastest Round 3 team news.
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SATURDAY MARCH 18
Gold Coast Titans vs Melbourne Storm at Cbus Super Stadium, 3.00pm AEDT
Titans team: 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. Chris Randall 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 11. David Fifita 12. Joe Stimson 13. Isaac Liu 14. Jayden Campbell 15. Erin Clark 16. Jo Vuna 17. Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui 18. Sam McIntyre 19. Klese Haas
Players cut: 20. Toby Sexton 21. Keano Kini 22. Treymain Spry
Late mail: The Titans look set to be unchanged, with Jo Vuna, Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui and Brian Kelly the fresh names. Kelly plays his first game of the season as he returns from suspension while Vuna ends a 644-day NRL wait having ruptured his ACL in the Hostplus Cup finals back in 2021. Fa’asuamaleaui, meanwhile, brother of Tino, will make his debut.
Storm team: 1. Nick Meaney 2. William Warbrick 3. Reimis Smith 4. Justin Olam 5. Xavier Coates 6. Tyran Wishart 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Harry Grant 10. Christian Welch 11. Trent Loiero 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Josh King 14. Jonah Pezet 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Tariq Sims 21. Bronson Garlick 17. Jordan Grant 18. Grant Anderson
Players cut: 19. Aaron Pene 20. Young Tonumaipea 22. Kane Bradley
Late mail: Storm coach Craig Bellamy is set to unleash young playmaker Jonah Pezet into the starting side, with Tyran Wishart to drop back to the bench. “It looks like he will start,” Brent Read told Triple M on Thursday, adding there are “huge raps” on the youngster. Pezet starred in the NSW Under 19s team’s 32-4 win over QLD last year, with Andrew Johns describing him as “sensational” in the victory. Elsewhere, Bronson Garlick joins the 17 with Jordan Grant bumping back to the extended bench. Xavier Coates (AC joint) is no sure thing to play with Grant Anderson still on the extended bench as cover.
North Queensland Cowboys vs Warriors at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, 5.30pm AEDT
Cowboys team: 1. Tomas Chester 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Reuben Cotter 11. Coen Hess 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Jason Taumalolo 14. Jake Granville 15. Griffin Neame 16. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown 17. James Tamou 18. Heilum Luki 19. Brendan Elliot
Players cut: 20. Taniela Sadrugu 21. Riley Price 22. Mitchell Dunn
Late mail: To come.
Warriors team: 1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Edward Kosi 3. Brayden Wiliame 4. Adam Pompey 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Bunty Afoa 11. Mitchell Barnett 12. Marata Niukore 13. Tohu Harris 14. Dylan Walker 16. Bayley Sironen 17. Tom Ale 22. Jazz Tevaga 18. Viliami Vailea 20. Freddy Lussick
Players cut: 15. Josh Curran 21. Ronald Volkman 23. Rocco Berry
Late mail: Josh Curran is out due to a hip pointer injury with Jazz Tevaga joining the bench in what will be his first NRL game of the season. Taine Tuaupiki will make his NRL debut at fullback in place of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who is out with a concussion.
Brisbane Broncos vs St George Illawarra Dragons at Suncorp Stadium, 7.35pm AEDT
Broncos team: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Jesse Arthars 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Selwyn Cobbo 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Corey Jensen 9. Billy Walters 10. Payne Haas 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan 14. Cory Paix 15. Keenan Palasia 16. Thomas Flegler 17. Martin Taupau 18. Deine Mariner 19. Brendan Piakura
Players cut: 20. Xavier Willison 21. Jock Madden 22. Delouise Hoeter
Late mail: Newly-re-signed star Pat Carrigan is set to be passed fit to play after making it through Friday’s captains run, with coach Kevin Walters confident he would be right in time for Saturday’s clash. Walters had previously rated Carrigan as ‘doubtful’ to play after surgery on an infected wisdom tooth. “We’ve named him but he’s in a bit of doubt. We’ll give him until game day to make his decision,” Walters said, per the Courier Mail. Backrower Brendan Piakura is on standby to come into the 17 should Carrigan be ruled out.
Dragons team: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Zac Lomax 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Jayden Sullivan 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Moses Mbye 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Ben Murdoch-Masila 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack Bird 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Zane Musgrove 17. Josh Kerr 18. Michael Molo 19. Max Feagai 20. Jaiyden Hunt
Players cut: 16. Toby Couchman 21. Talatau Amone 22. Aaron Woods
Late mail: Toby Couchman, who failed a HIA last week on his NRL debut, was cut from the side with Michael Molo taking his place on the bench,
Dragons Press Conference | 07:31
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SUNDAY MARCH 19
Canterbury Bulldogs vs Wests Tigers at Belmore Sports Ground, 4.05pm AEDT
Bulldogs team: 1. Hayze Perham 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Jake Averillo 4. Paul Alamoti 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Matt Burton 7. Kyle Flanagan 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Ryan Sutton 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jacob Preston 13. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 14. Jayden Okunbor 15. Corey Waddell 16. Franklin Pele 17. Fa’amanu Brown 19. Braidon Burns 20. Karl Oloapu 21. Josh Reynolds 22. Jackson Topine 23. Jayden Tanner
Players cut:
Late mail: To come.
Tigers team: 1. Charlie Staines 2. David Nofoaluma 3. Brent Naden 4. Starford To’a 5. Junior Tupou 6. Adam Doueihi 7. Luke Brooks 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. David Klemmer 11. Asu Kepaoa 12. Shawn Blore 13. Fonua Pole 14. Brandon Wakeham 15. Alex Twal 16. Joe Ofahengaue 17. Brandon Tumeth 18. Justin Matamua 19. Alex Seyfarth 20. John Bateman 21. Ruatapu Ngatikaura 22. Jahream Bula
Players cut:
Late mail:Adam Doueihi reportedly sat out of training on Wednesday with foot bruising according to AAP’s Scott Bailey. Tigers medical staff said they were keeping him off his feet as a precaution. According to the NRL Physio, players can usually recover from a bruised foot quickly, granted there is no significant damage with load management the best way to prevent further injury. Meanwhile English recruit John Bateman also reportedly sat next to him and observed training after being named in the extended squad for the first time ahead of Round 3. But the Bulldogs’ general manger of football, Phil Gould believes Bateman will be parachuted into the 17 come Sunday. “Why would you name him if you weren’t going to play him? I fully expect that he will play this weekend,” he said on Six Tackles with Gus. “I can only assume because they’ve named him, he will play, and if he plays he will be ready. He’s an international-class forward so they would love to be playing him.”
Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks at GIO Stadium, 6.15pm AEDT
Raiders team: 1. Sebastian Kris 2. Nick Cotric 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Harley Smith-Shields 5. Albert Hopoate 6. Jack Wighton 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Pasami Saulo 9. Danny Levi 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Corey Harawira-Naera 14. Tom Starling 15. Trey Mooney 16. Corey Horsburgh 17. Emre Guler 18. Zac Woolford 19. Matt Frawley 20. James Schiller 21. Semi Valemei 22. Peter Hola
Players cut:
Late mail: To come.
Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Matt Moylan 7. Braydon Trindall 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Braden Hamlin-Uele 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Dale Finucane 14. Cameron McInnes 15. Royce Hunt 16. Oregon Kaufusi 17. Jack Williams 18. Connor Tracey 19. Thomas Hazelton 20. Mawene Hiroti 21. Jayden Berrell 22. Daniel Atkinson
Players cut:
Late mail: To come.
Bye: Penrith Panthers