The Brisbane Broncos and Penrith Panthers are just two of a host of teams to swing the changes ahead of the NRL’s magic round in Brisbane.
The two sides, who are both at the wrong end of the ladder, whether forced or through searching for a change of fortunes, haven’t held back on the selection table.
Anthony Seibold has chopped Jamayne Isaako and NSW centre James Roberts from his side for their clash with Manly on Friday night, with Gehamat Shibasaki and Kontoni Staggs included, while Darius Boyd has survived the chop.
Their opponents haven’t been able to name a steady halves combination either, with more changes in key positions for the Sea Eagles. Lachlan Croker is out with injury, meaning Apisai Koroisau switches to play in the halves and Manase Fainu starts at hooker. Addin Fonua-Blake is also out.
At the foot of the mountains, Villame Kikau has been named amongst the reserves despite suffering what appeared to be a serious leg injury. James Maloney has also been named, but will need to beat a charge at the judiciary this evening, while Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Hame Sele are into the starting side.
Their opponents, the Tigers, have also made plenty of changes, with Benji Marshall back from injury and slotting straight into the halves, allowing Ryan Matterson to go back to the second row. Russell Packer and Elijah Taylor have only made the reserves list, while Matt Eisenhuth replaces Josh Aloiai (concussion) at lock.
Elsewhere, Kodi Nikorima has been named to make his Warriors club debut against the Dragons at the expense of young gun Chanel Harris-Tavita and Corey Norman’s replacement in the halves has been named as Jai Field, after the former suffered a fractured cheekbone on the weekend.
The Canberra Raiders also lose John Bateman, with Hudson Young his replacement at the Raiders, while Coen Hess starts for the injured Josh McGuire for Paul Green’s Cowboys.
Tim Mannah (Eels), Brandon Smith (Storm), Matt Ikuvalu (Roosters) and Kyle Feldt (Cowboys) have all also been named to make their return from injury, while Kieran Foran (Bulldogs) is on the reserves list and could do the same.
Thursday, 7:50pm
Titans
1. Michael Gordon, 2. Anthony Don, 3. Tyrone Peachey, 4. Brian Kelly, 5. Dale Copley, 6. Alexander Brimson, 7. Ash Taylor, 8. Jarrod Wallace, 9. Mitch Rein, 10. Shannon Boyd, 11. Kevin Proctor, 12. Bryce Cartwright, 13. Jai Arrow
Interchange: 14. Jesse Arthars, 15. Moeaki Fotuaika, 16. Keegan Hipgrave, 17. Max King, 18. Jack Stockwell, 19. Jai Whitbread, 20. Ryley Jacks, 21. Brenko Lee
Sharks
1. Josh Dugan, 2. Sosaia Feki, 3. Bronson Xerri, 4. Josh Morris, 5. Aaron Gray, 6. Kyle Flanagan, 7. Chad Townsend, 8. Andrew Fifita, 9. Jayden Brailey, 10. Matt Prior, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Kurt Capewell, 13. Paul Gallen
Interchange: 14. Blayke Brailey, 15. Jayson Bukuya, 16. Jack Williams, 17. Braden Hamlin-uele, 18. Scott Sorensen, 19. Sione Katoa, 20. Billy Magoulias, 21. Will Kennedy
Friday, 6pm
Tigers
1. Moses Mbye, 2. Mahe Fonua, 3. Robert Jennings, 4. Esan Marsters, 5. Corey Thompson, 6. Benji Marshall, 7. Luke Brooks, 8. Ben Matulino, 9. Robbie Farah, 10. Alex Twal, 11. Ryan Matterson, 12. Chris McQueen, 13. Matt Eisenhuth
Interchange: 14. Jacob Liddle, 15. Thomas Mikaele, 16. Oliver Clark, 17. Luke Garner, 18. Paul Momirovski, 19. Elijah Taylor, 20. Michael Chee-Kam, 21. Russell Packer
Panthers
1. Caleb Aekins, 2. Josh Mansour, 3. Dean Whare, 4. Waqa Blake, 5. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 6. James Maloney, 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. James Tamou, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 11. Frank Winterstein, 12. James Fisher-Harris, 13. Hame Sele
Interchange: 14. Sione Katoa, 15. Tyrell Fuimaono, 16. Moses Leota, 17. Tim Grant, 18. Jarome Luai, 19. Kaide Ellis, 20. Dylan Edwards, 21. Viliame Kikau
Friday, 7:55pm
Sea Eagles
1. Brendan Elliott, 2. Jorge Taufua, 3. Moses Suli, 4. Brad Parker, 5. Reuben Garrick, 6. Apisai Koroisau, 7. Kane Elgey, 8. Toafofoa Sipley 9. Manase Fainu, 10. Martin Taupau, 11. Joel Thompson, 12. Curtis Sironen, 13. Jake Trbojevic
Interchange: 14. Jack Gosiewski, 15. Kelepi Tanginoa, 16. Corey Waddell, 17. Morgan Boyle, 18. Abbas Miski, 19. Cade Cust, 20. Zach Dockar-clay, 21. Taniela Paseka
Brisbane Broncos
1. Darius Boyd, 2. Corey Oates, 3. Kotoni Staggs, 4. Jack Bird, 5. Gehamat Shibasaki, 6. Anthony Milford, 7. Tom Dearden, 8. Matthew Lodge, 9. Jake Turpin, 10. Payne Haas, 11. Alex Glenn, 12. Matt Gillett, 13. Thomas Flegler
Interchange: 14. Patty Carrigan, 15. David Fifita, 16. Tevita Pangai, 17. Joe Ofahengaue, 18. Jamayne Isaako, 19. Cory Paix, 20. Jaydn Su’a, 21. Sean O’sullivan
Saturday, 3pm
Bulldogs
1. Nick Meaney, 2. Jayden Okunbor, 3. Kerrod Holland, 4. Will Hopoate, 5. Reimis Smith, 6. Jack Cogger, 7. Lachlan Lewis, 8. Aiden Tolman, 9. Jeremy Marshall-King, 10. Dylan Napa, 11. Josh Jackson, 12. Corey Harawira-Naera, 13. Rhyse Martin
Interchange: 14. Fa’amanu Brown, 15. Danny Fualalo, 16. Adam Elliot, 17. Sauaso Sue, 19. Kieran Foran, 21. Marcelo Montoya, 22. Ofahiki Ogden, 23. Chris Smith
Knights
1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Edrick Lee, 3. Hymel Hunt, 4. Sione Mata’utia, 5. Shaun Kenny-Dowall, 6. Connor Watson, 7. Mitchell Pearce, 8. David Klemmer, 9. Danny Levi, 10. Daniel Saifiti, 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 12. Mitchell Barnett, 13. Tim Glasby
Interchange: 14. Kurt Mann, 15. Herman Ese’ese, 16. James Gavet, 17. Josh King, 18. Mason Lino, 19. Pasami Saulo, 20. Jamie Buhrer, 21. Jesse Ramien
Saturday, 5:30pm
Warriors
1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2. David Fusitua, 3. Peta Hiku, 4. Patrick Herbert, 5. Ken Maumalo, 6. Kodi Nikorima, 7. Blake Green, 8. Agnatius Paasi, 9. Nathaniel Roache, 10. Leeson Ah Mau, 11. Isaiah Papalii, 12. Tohu Harris, 13. Lachlan Burr
Interchange: 14. Jazz Tevaga, 15. Bunty Afoa, 16. Ligi Sao, 17. Karl Lawton, 18. Gerard Beale, 20. Chris Satae, 21. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 23. Issac Luke
Dragons
1. Matthew Dufty, 2. Jordan Pereira, 3. Zac Lomax, 4. Timoteo Lafai, 5. Mikaele Ravalawa, 6. Jai Field, 7. Ben Hunt, 8. James Graham, 9. Cameron McInnes, 10. Paul Vaughan, 11. Tyson Frizell, 12. Tariq Sims, 13. Blake Lawrie
Interchange: 14. Jeremy Latimore, 15. Euan Aitken, 16. Jacob Host, 17. Luciano Leilua, 18. Mitchell Allgood, 19. Jonus Pearson, 20. Lachlan Timm, 21. Josh Kerr
Saturday, 7:35pm
Storm
1. Jahrome Hughes, 2. Suliasi Vunivalu, 3. Will Chambers, 4. Marion Seve, 5. Josh Addo-Carr, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Brodie Croft, 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Cameron Smith, 10. Christian Welch, 11. Felise Kaufusi, 12. Kenneath Bromwich, 13. Dale Finucane
Interchange: 14. Brandon Smith, 15. Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 16. Tui Kamikamica, 17. Ryan Papenhuyzen, 18. Billy Walters, 19. Patrick Kaufusi, 20. Joe Stimson, 21. Curtis Scott
Eels
1. Clint Gutherson, 2. Maika Sivo, 3. Michael Jennings, 4. Brad Takairangi, 5. Blake Ferguson, 6. Jaeman Salmon, 7. Mitchell Moses, 8. Daniel Alvaro, 9. Reed Mahoney, 10. Junior Paulo, 11. Shaun Lane, 12. Marata Niukore, 13. Tepai Moeroa
Interchange: 14. Peni Terepo, 15. Tim Mannah, 16. Oregon Kaufusi, 17. Manu Ma’u, 18. Ray Stone, 19. Kane Evans, 20. Will Smith, 21. George Jennings
Sunday, 2pm
Roosters
1. James Tedesco, 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Latrell Mitchell, 4. Joseph Manu, 5. Matt Ikuvalu, 6. Luke Keary, 7. Cooper Cronk, 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 9. Victor Radley, 10. Siosiua Taukeiaho, 11. Boyd Cordner, 12. Angus Crichton, 13. Isaac Liu
Interchange: 14. Nat Butcher, 15. Zane Tetevano, 16. Sitili Tupouniua, 17. Mitchell Aubusson, 18. Lindsay Collins, 19. Josh Curran, 20. Lachlan Lam, 21. Sam Verrills
Raiders
1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Jarrod Croker, 4. Michael Oldfield, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Sam Williams, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Josh Hodgson, 10. Dunamis Lui, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliot Whitehead, 13. Ryan Sutton
Interchange: 14. Siliva Havili, 15. Bailey Simonsson, 16. Iosia Soliola, 17. Corey Horsburgh, 18. Aidan Sezer, 19. Emre Guler, 20. Royce Hunt, 21. Jack Murchie
Sunday, 4:10pm
Rabbitohs
1. Alex Johnston, 2. Corey Allen, 3. Kyle Turner, 4. Dane Gagai, 5. Campbell Graham, 6. Cody Walker, 7. Adam Reynolds, 8. George Burgess, 9. Damien Cook, 10. Thomas Burgess, 11. John Sutton, 12. Sam Burgess, 13. Cameron Murray
Interchange: 14. Tevita Tatola, 15. Mark Nicholls, 16. Ethan Lowe, 17. Liam Knight, 18. Jacob Gagan, 19. Connor Tracey, 20. Dean Britt, 21. Mawene Hiroti
Cowboys
1. Jordan Kahu, 2. Kyle Feldt, 3. Justin O’Neill, 4. Enari Tuala, 5. Ben Hampton, 6. John Asiata, 7. Michael Morgan, 8. Matt Scott, 9. Jake Granville, 10. Jordan McLean, 11. Gavin Cooper, 12. Coen Hess, 13. Jason Taumalolo
Interchange: 14. Kurt Baptiste, 15. Mitchell Dunn, 16. Scott Bolton, 17. Francis Molo, 18. Corey Jensen, 19. Tom Opacic, 20. Shane Wright, 21. Jake Clifford
All times AEDT.
The NRL's match officials announcement on Tuesday lunchtime is usually cause for little fanfare, but sparked debate this week with top ref Ashley Klein…
All the team list information for Round 8.
Braydon Trindall has been stood down from the Cronulla Sharks after failing an alcohol and drug test while driving on a suspended licence. The…
Cronulla co-captain Dale Finucane has announced his retirement from the NRL after "double-digit concussions" prompted him to call a premature end to his playing…
I’m sorry Newcastle, but this won’t be your year. Unless your whole approach can change. Kalyn Ponga’s Lisfranc injury may have cost him 12…
Paul Gallen on 100% Footy has questioned how the bunker, touch judge and referee all missed what should've been a sin-bin after a Wests…
