NRL Round 7 Team Lists Late Mail: Panthers and Dragons reveal debutantes, Des is forced to rearrange his spine

Tanah Boyd was called up to the first grade team for Saturday’s match against Manly, following the injury withdrawal of stand-in fullback Phillip Sami, forcing Des Hasler into yet another spine shuffle.

After being named in the 6 jumper, AJ Brimson will shift to the back, Kieran Foran will play 5/8, and Boyd will play halfback.

Fa’amanu Brown, a hooker who was promoted from the reserves to the starting lineup the same week he joined the team, will make his Dragons debut on Friday night.

After a difficult stint in the Super League with Hull FC, Brown only signed on Monday. However, he will start in the NRL against the Warriors in place of Jesse Marschke.

Similar late changes have been made by the Kiwis, who have added centre/backrower Ali Leiataua in place of bench hooker Chanel Harris-Tavita. Since Adam Pompey was already listed in the 17, it leaves them with two outside backs on the interchange.

Paul Alamoti, a former Bulldogs center, will make his club debut for Penrith on Saturday afternoon. Taylan May withdrew from the team for personal reasons.

Nathan Brown had been expected to return to first grade for Manly after missing the draw in New Zealand last Saturday due to a knee injury, but he has not recovered in time and will miss the match. Dean Matterson enters.

Even though South Sydney is off this week, their unfortunate streak of injuries continues.

They have now lost starting front rower Tevita Tatola for an expected three months after it was revealed that he has fractured his foot.

The Tonga international has already undergone surgery and is facing six weeks before he can put weight on the foot followed by at least another six weeks of rehab before he is back to play.

Tyrone Munro is also set for surgery on a broken collarbone picked up in the Bunnies’ defeat to Cronulla last weekend.

The Dolphins have again been given permission by the NRL to go outside their top 30 in order to field a team, as coach Wayne Bennett battles illness ahead of the round-seven clash with Parramatta.

Due to injury and suspension, 27-year-old Redcliffe Dolphins fullback Trai Fuller will line up against the Eels in Darwin on Friday.

Star regular No.1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow will miss four to six weeks with a hamstring tear, but that is not the only hurdle the Dolphins will have to overcome against Parramatta.

Bennett did not fly west with the team on Wednesday evening due to a bout of the flu and was still unable to travel to Darwin on Thursday. Bennett may not make the four-hour plane trip on Friday either, with his assistant Kristian Woolf on standby to take over for the game.

Last week, CQ Capras’ Queensland Cup forward Lachlan Hubner was given special dispensation by the NRL to play against Brisbane due to a shortage of forwards. Hubner and Redcliffe’s Fuller are on NRL train-and-trial contracts with the Dolphins.

Competition rules state such players can only play at the elite level from round 11 onwards, but the governing body has allowed the Dolphins to bring them in earlier.

The Queensland outfit have at least eight of their top squad players either suspended or injured for round seven, including big guns Thomas Flegler, Herbie Farnworth and Felise Kaufusi.

They face a Parra side that is unchanged save for the addition of Blaize Talagi as a bench option, with Maiko Sivo still frozen out.

Sam Walker was named in the reserves for the Roosters’ Allianz Stadium match with Melbourne but Trent Robinson said the halfback had failed to pass the concussion protocols to make his return.

“He tried to train but didn’t quite get there so we’ve ruled him out,” the coach said.

Robinson was hopeful Walker would be available for their round-eight clash with St George Illawarra.

Easts have reshuffled their backline with James Tedesco back on deck in the 1, shifting Joey Manu back to centre and Joseph Suaalii to the wing.

Melbourne welcome Nelson Asofa-Solomona for his first game of the season after a pre-season hamstring injury.

It’s ideal timing with the giant prop coming in for Tui Kamikamica, who is sidelined with a calf issue, as the Storm look to continue their strong record against the ninth-placed Roosters.

“Hopefully he can come in and do a good job for us,” said Storm coach Craig Bellamy.

“We just need him to go up there and play his role and just do his job.”

Penrith have opted to give Nathan Cleary another week on the sidelines to recover from his hamstring injury, with the world’s best player to skip the Panthers’ trip to Bathurst to face the Wests Tigers. Brad Schneider will continue to deputise in the No.7 jersey.

Cleary had been confident of being able to return after his team had the bye last week but the Panthers will keep him in cotton wool.

Jarome Luai, however, is good to go and will feature, using the bye round to recover from the knee problem that saw him limp out of the defeat at Manly.

The Dragons have returned Zac Lomax to the centres for their clash with the Warriors on Friday teatime as they reshuffle their backline to accomodate the loss of Jack Bird with a concussion. Christian Tuipulotu comes in on the wing and new signing Nu Brown is an outside chance of a debut, having been named to the extended bench.

Melbourne have a huge in for their trip to the Roosters with Nelson Asofa-Solomona named for his first start of the season in the front row.

 

Matt Lodge is also back for his first start since an ACL tear last year, providing much needed heft to a Manly pack that will be without Toff Sipley and Josh Aloiai through injury. Reuben Garrick also returns in time to cover the loss of Ben Trbojevic from the centres.

 

They face a Titans side without Jayden Campbell, who has a knee injury. As it stands, Phillip Sami will play fullback and AJ Brimson five-eighth, but that might change come gameday.

The Bulldogs stick tight with the 13 that came so close to a victory in Melbourne last week, with only the bench changed.

They have two interchange backs, Bailey Hayward and the returning Blake Taaffe, and only tow middles on hte bench, with the possibility that Max King might yet be included from the extended bench.

Newcastle have named Kalyn Ponga despite a hip pointer injury, but there is no place for the still-injured Tyson Frizell in an otherwise unchanged lineup.

Deine Mariner. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Brisbane rising star Deine Mariner has not made it back in time to face the Raiders on Saturday night, with Kevin Walters opting for an unchanged side.

Canberra will be without second-rower Zac Hosking who is out for an indefinite period after dislocating his shoulder in Sunday’s win over Gold Coast so they bring in Ata Mariota for their only change, with Simi Sasagi elevated to the bench.

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LEAGUE

 

In the final game, Cronulla give Sam Stonestreet a debut on the wing with Sione Katoa suspended, while the Cowboys bring in Semi Valemei for injured Murray Taulagi (hamstring).

Penrith Panthers

v

Wests Tigers

1.17

5.10

NRL : Head To Head

Sat, 20 Apr 2024, 15:00

Gold Coast Titans

v

Manly Sea Eagles

3.20

1.35

NRL : Head To Head

Sat, 20 Apr 2024, 17:30

Brisbane Broncos

v

Canberra Raiders

1.42

2.90

NRL : Head To Head

Sat, 20 Apr 2024, 19:35

Canterbury Bulldogs

v

Newcastle Knights

1.95

1.85

NRL : Head To Head

Sun, 21 Apr 2024, 14:00

Cronulla Sharks

v

North Queensland Cowboys

1.62

2.30

Round 7 teams

Sydney vs Melbourne at Allianz Stadium: 7.50pm, Thursday April 18