The Eels and Sharks have confirmed their respective Origin-experienced stars who were in doubt will now both play.
The Rabbitohs are set to shuffle their forwards in a bid to cover for the injured Jai Arrow, but they’ve also reportedly axed a rookie.
Phil Gould provided an update on injured star Josh Addo-Carr while Roosters back-rower Sitili Tupouniua is set to overcome a leg injury to take on Manly on Sunday.
Meanwhile the Broncos are hopeful Brendan Piakura will pass concussion protocols to line up in the second row against the Rabbitohs.
Read on for the Late Mail for Round 2.
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Brisbane Broncos vs South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium, 8.00pm AEDT
Broncos team: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Jesse Arthars 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Selwyn Cobbo 5. Deine Mariner 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Corey Jensen 9. Billy Walters 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan 14. Tyson Smoothy 15. Fletcher Baker 16. Kobe Hetherington 17. Martin Taupau 19. Xavier Willison 20. Tristan Sailor
Players cut: 18. Corey Oates 21. Jock Madden 22. Jaiyden Hunt
Late Mail: Brendan Piakura needs to pass concussion protocols, but the Broncos are hopeful he will line up in the second row. Skipper Adam Reynolds has been cleared of ligament damage from a knock to his knee against the Roosters and is set to play.
Rabbitohs team: 1. Latrell Mitchell 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Richard Kennar 5. Jacob Gagai 6. Cody Walker 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Damien Cook 10. Sean Keppie 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Tallis Duncan 13. Cameron Murray 14. Siliva Havili 15. Davvy Moale 16. Shaquai Mitchell 17. Thomas Burgess 18. Michael Chee Kam 19. Taane Milne
Players cut: 20. Jye Gray 21. Peter Mamouzelos 22. Dean Hawkins
Late Mail: Jai Arrow’s rotator cuff injury that could rule him out of the entire season has forced a reshuffle for the Bunnies.
As James Hooper told NRL 360: “The mail today was that they’ll move Cameron Murray, who is obviously one of the best number 13s in the game at the moment. He’ll play on the right edge where Arrow was.
“That’ll mean that the young gun Tallis Duncan gets an opportunity to play through the middle.
“Murray’s a superstar. I love him in the middle of the field with his quick play-the-ball and the way he can tie everything in defensively. But we’ve seen him do it at representative level where he’s shifted to the edge and he does not miss a beat.”
Taane Milne is also reportedly set to come into the backline for Round 1 NRL debutant Jacob Gagai. Milne trained on the wing during the week with Gagai spending time with the reserves
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FRIDAY MARCH 15
Cronulla Sharks vs Canterbury Bulldogs at PointsBet Stadium, 6.00pm AEDT
Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Dale Finucane 15. Jack Williams 17. Thomas Hazelton 19. Tuku Hau Tapuha 18. Kayal Iro 20. Daniel Atkinson
Players cut: 16. Royce Hunt 21. Samuel Stonestreet 22. Jayden Berrell
Late Mail: Royce Hunt has dropped out of the17 with Tuku Hau Tapuha promoted to the bench in his place. Outside backs Siosifa Talakai and Ronaldo Mulitalo (ankle) will be given until an hour before kick-off to prove his fitness but Siosifa Talakai (ankle) will definitely play. “Sifa’s good to go,‘’ coach Craig Fitzgibbon said on Thursday.
Bulldogs team: 1. Blake Taaffe 2. Blake Wilson 3. Jacob Kiraz 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Connor Tracey 6. Matt Burton 7. Drew Hutchison 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Poasa Faamausili 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jacob Preston 13. Jaeman Salmon 14. Kurt Mann 15. Samuel Hughes 16. Josh Curran 17. Kurtis Morrin 19. Bronson Xerri 20. Kitione Kautoga
Players cut: 21. Jake Turpin 22. Toby Sexton 23. Josh Addo-Carr
Late Mail: Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has officially ruled out winger Josh Addo-Carr.
“He’s done everything possible (but he won’t play). He’s worked 24/7 with the physios to get himself ready, but he’s come up a bit short. He’ll be right next week,” Ciraldo said on Thursday.
“It is a bit random because we thought it was the AC and the clavicle, but there’s a bit more going on there. He’s done really well to put himself in a position to play, but at the moment it’s not worth the risk.
“He did really well at the start of the week. On Monday there was no chance he was playing, but then on Tuesday morning he was really good and adamant that he was going to be right.
“Yesterday and this morning he wasn’t as good. It’s only round two and we’ve got Connor Tracey there ready to go so it wasn’t worth the risk.”
That is after Phil Gould said earlier in the week that Addo-Carr was still an outside chance to play with the help of painkilling injections after he was named on an extended bench.
“The coach said yesterday that he’s asked to play and he still thinks he is a chance of playing,” Gould revealed on Six Tackles with Gus podcast.
“I think they picked the team with the thought he was gonna be out, but they’ve chucked him on the bench just in case.
“I would think it’s unlikely and it would be in his best interests to have a week off, just to get it to 100 per cent, but he’s a bit like that, the Foxx.
“He’s rung the coach and said ‘no I’m still keen to go around’. It’s a short week – they will probably sort it out.”
Penrith Panthers vs Parramatta Eels at BlueBet Stadium, 8.00pm AEDT
Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Taylan May 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Soni Luke 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Liam Henry 17. Luke Garner 18. Daine Laurie 19. Matt Eisenhuth 20. Mavrik Geyer 21. Paul Alamoti 22. Brad Schneider
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come.
Eels team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Bailey Simonsson 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Morgan Harper 5. Sean Russell 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Joey Lussick 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. J’maine Hopgood 14. Brendan Hands 15. Ryan Matterson 16. Joe Ofahengaue 17. Kelma Tuilagi 18. Ofahiki Ogden 19. Wiremu Greig 20. Luca Moretti 21. Makahesi Makatoa 22. Blaize Talagi
Players cut:
Late Mail: Eels coach Brad Arthur has given Mitch Moses the green light to face the Panthers in Friday’s grudge match.
Moses battled through a groin injury against the Bulldogs in round 1 and didn’t train on Tuesday, but he’s good to go, with the Eels to decide after the captain’s run whether he will do the bulk of the kicking or let Dylan Brown take over.
“He’s right to play,” Arthur said. “It was just a precaution (for him to not train on Tuesday). This time of the year, we didn’t need to get him out there to train because he’s done plenty of combinations with Dylan.
“If Mitch was to get injured in the game, we could put someone else there from the starting 17, so it was actually a good thing for him to have a rest.
“Mitch is tough, and he’s too tough for his own good. We saw that at the back-end of the game the other day when we asked him not to kick, but the result was very important to him. He had a job to do and he wanted to continue doing it for us.
“He wouldn’t have kicked if he didn’t think he could do the job and he could have aggravated and made it worse.”
—Martin Gabor, NCA Newswire
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Canberra Raiders vs Wests Tigers at GIO Stadium, 3.00pm AEDT
Raiders team: 1. Jordan Rapana 2. Albert Hopoate 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 14. Tom Starling 15. Emre Guler 16. Ata Mariota 17. Pasami Saulo 18. Nick Cotric 19. Kaeo Weekes 20. Simi Sasagi 21. Zac Woolford 22. Trey Mooney
Players cut:
Late Mail: Hooker Danny Levi is set to play despite suffering a minor quad injury in the win over the Knights.
Tigers team: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Charlie Staines 3. Starford To’a 4. Solomona Faataape 5. Junior Tupou 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Jayden Sullivan 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. David Klemmer 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. John Bateman 13. Alex Seyfarth 14. Aidan Sezer 15. Fonua Pole 16. Alex Twal 17. Samuela Fainu 18. Asu Kepaoa 19. Tallyn Da Silva 20. Justin Matamua 21. Alexander Lobb 22. Jake Simpkin
Players cut:
Early Mail: To come.
North Queensland Cowboys vs Newcastle Knights at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, 5.30pm AEDT
Cowboys team: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Zac Laybutt 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. Heilum Luki 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Jake Granville 15. Griffin Neame 16. Sam McIntyre 17. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 18. Tomas Chester 19. Thomas Mikaele 20. Semi Valemei 21. Jack Gosiewski 22. Jake Clifford
Players cut:
Late Mail: Heilum Luki and Griffin Neame passed their HIA’s last week and are fit to face the Knights.
Knights team: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Thomas Jenkins 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Adam Elliott 14. Jack Cogger 15. Daniel Saifiti 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Jed Cartwright 18. Brodie Jones 19. Will Pryce 20. Mathew Croker 21. Fletcher Sharpe 22. Thomas Cant
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come.
Melbourne Storm vs Warriors at AAMI Park, 7.35pm AEDT
Storm team: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. William Warbrick 3. Reimis Smith 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Jonah Pezet 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Joe Chan 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Christian Welch 16. Chris Lewis 17. Alec MacDonald 18. Shawn Blore 19. Kane Bradley 20. Marion Seve 21. Sualauvi Faalogo 22. Tepai Moeroa
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come.
Warriors team: 1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Luke Metcalf 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Jackson Ford 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Tohu Harris 14. Freddy Lussick 15. Tom Ale 16. Bunty Afoa 17. Dylan Walker 18. Adam Pompey 20. Jazz Tevaga 21. Te Maire Martin 22. Ali Leiataua 23. Chanel Harris-Tavita
Players cut:
Late Mail: Second-rower Kurt Capewell (ribs) and hooker Wayde Egan (arm) are both in doubt, with Jazz Tevaga and Chanel Harris-Tavita on standby.
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SUNDAY MARCH 17
Manly Sea Eagles vs Sydney Roosters at 4 Pines Park, 4.05pm AEDT
Sea Eagles team: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Tommy Talau 3. Tolutau Koula 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Josh Aloiai 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Ben Trbojevic 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Karl Lawton 15. Corey Waddell 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Nathan Brown 18. Jakob Arthur 19. Raymond Tuiamalo Vaega 20. Aaron Woods 21. Brad Parker 22. Jamie Humphreys
Players cut:
Late Mail: Utility Karl Lawton suffered an nkle injury against Souths but is expected to take his place on the bench.
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. Siua Wong 12. Sitili Tupouniua 13. Victor Radley 14. Sandon Smith 15. Naufahu Whyte 16. Nat Butcher 17. Terrell May 18. Connor Watson 19. Fetalaiga Pauga 20. Egan Butcher 21. Zach Dockar-Clay 22. Angus Crichton
Players cut:
Late Mail: Sitili Tupouniua (leg) and Dominic Young (neck) are both expected to take their places against Manly. Angus Crichton is battling a groin injury as he bids to return to the 17 from the reserves.
Dolphins vs St George Illawarra Dragons at Kayo Stadium, 6.15pm AEDT
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. Thomas Flegler 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Euan Aitken 13. Max Plath 14. Josh Kerr 15. Kenny Bromwich 16. Mark Nicholls 17. Jarrod Wallace 18. Kurt Donoghoe 19. Sean O’Sullivan 20. Oryn Keeley 21. Tesi Niu 22. Mason Teague
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come.
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. Blake Lawrie 11. Tom Eisenhuth 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Connor Muhleisen 15. Michael Molo 16. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 17. Luciano Leilua 18. Viliami Fifita 19. Christian Tuipulotu 20. Jesse Marschke 21. Ben Murdoch-Masila 22. Hame Sele
Players cut:
Late Mail: To come.
Bye: Gold Coast Titans