The NRL Finals Week 1 teams are in, Jahrome Hughes beating out Brodie Croft for the Melbourne Storm halfback job one of the bigger stories.
Cameron Munster also returns to the lineup following a rest, as do Raiders quartet Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Iosia Soliola, John Bateman and Jordan Rapana.
Des Hasler may have stolen the limelight, however, adding Tony Williams – not sighted since Round 8, 2018 – to the 21-man squad after being granted special exemption by the NRL to allow him to play.
CHECK OUT THE FULL TEAMS
Friday, 7:50pm at SCG
Roosters
1. James Tedesco, 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Latrell Mitchell, 4. Joseph Manu, 5. Brett Morris, 6. Luke Keary, 7. Cooper Cronk, 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 9. Sam Verrills, 10. Isaac Liu, 11. Boyd Cordner, 12. Mitchell Aubusson, 13. Victor Radley
Bench/Reserves: 14. Angus Crichton, 15. Zane Tetevano, 16. Nat Butcher, 17. Sio Siua Taukeiaho, 18. Lindsay Collins, 19. Sitili Tupouniua, 20. Drew Hutchison, 21. Ryan Hall
Rabbitohs
1. Adam Doueihi, 2. Alex Johnston, 3. James Roberts, 4. Campbell Graham, 5. Corey Allan, 6. Cody Walker, 7. Adam Reynolds, 8. Tevita Tavola, 9. Damien Cook, 10. Liam Knight, 11. John Sutton, 12. Jaydn Su’A, 13. Cameron Murray
Bench/Reserves: 14. Ethan Lowe, 15. Dean Britt, 16. Tom Burgess, 17. Mark Nicholls, 18. George Burgess, 19. Bayley Sironen, 20. Connor Tracey, 21. Mawane Hiroti
Saturday, 5:40pm at AAMI Park
Storm
1. Ryan Papenhuyzen, 2. Suliasi Vunivalu, 3. Will Chambers, 4. Justin Olam, 5. Josh Addo-Carr, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Cameron Smith, 10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11. Felise Kaufusi, 12. Kenneath Bromwich, 13. Dale Finucane
Bench/Reserves: 14. Brandon Smith, 15. Tui Kamikamica, 16. Max King, 17. Joe Stimson, 18. Curtis Scott, 19.Tino Faasuamaleaui, 20. Brodie Croft, 21. Tom Eisenhuth
Raiders
1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Jarrod Croker, 4. Joseph Leilua, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Aidan Sezer, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Josh Hodgson, 10. Sia Soliola, 11. John Bateman, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Joseph Tapine
Bench/Reserves: 14. Bailey Simonsson, 15. Dunmais Lui, 16. Corey Horsburgh, 17. Ryan Sutton, 18. Sam Williams, 19. Emre Guler, 20. Siliva Havili, 21. Hudson Young
Saturday, 7:50pm at Lottoland
Sea Eagles
1. Brendan Elliot, 2. Jorge Taufua, 3. Brad Parker, 4. Moses Suli, 5. Reuben Garrick, 6. Dylan Walker, 7. Daly Cherry-Evans, 8. Addin Fonua-Blake, 9. Apisai Koroisau, 10. Sean Keppie, 11. Corey Waddell, 12. Jack Gosiewski, 13. Jake Trbojevic
Bench/Reserves: 14. Manase Fainu, 15. Haumole Olakau’atu, 16. Lloyd Perrett, 17. Toafofoa Sipley, 18. Lachlan Croker, 19. Cade Cust, 20. Tevita Funa, 21. Tony Williams
Sharks
1. Josh Dugan, 2. Sosaia Feki, 3. Bronson Xerri, 4. Josh Morris, 5. Aaron Gray, 6. Shaun Johnson, 7. Chad Townsend, 8. Aaron Woods, 9. Jayden Brailey, 10. Matt Prior, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Wade Graham, 13. Paul Gallen
Bench/Reserves: 14. Kurt Capewell, 15. Jack Williams, 16. Andrew Fifita, 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele, 18. Billy Magoulias, 19. Blayke Brailey, 20. Kyle Flanagan, 21. Matt Moylan
Sunday, 4:05pm at Bankwest Stadium
Eels
1. Clint Gutherson, 2. Maika Sivo, 3. Michael Jennings, 4. Waqa Blake, 5. Blake Ferguson, 6. Dylan Brown, 7. Mitchell Moses, 8. Kane Evans, 9. Reed Mahoney, 10. Junior Paulo, 11. Shaun Lane, 12. Manu Ma’u, 13. Nathan Brown
Bench/Reserves: 14. Brad Takairangi, 15. Daniel Alvaro, 16. Ray Stone, 17. Marata Niukore, 18. Tepai Moeroa, 19. Will Smith, 20. Peni Terepo, 21. Josh Hoffman
Broncos
1. Anthony Milford, 2. Corey Oates, 3. Kotoni Staggs, 4. Alex Glenn, 5. Jamayne Isaako, 6. Darius Boyd, 7. Jake Turpin, 8. Matthew Lodge, 9. Andrew McCullough, 10. Payne Haas, 11. David Fifita, 12. Matt Gillett, 13. Joe Ofahengaue
Bench/Reserves: 14. James Segeyaro, 15. Thomas Flegler, 16. Gehamat Shibasaki, 17. Patrick Carrigan, 18. Rhys Kennedy, 19. Izaia Perese, 20. Shaun Fensom, 21. Cory Paix
All times AEST (Sydney/Brisbane/Melbourne).
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Disco Des doesn't mind the odd older style forward. Joe Galuvao , Glenn Hall and Ben Kennedy fired up under the great man. Rex is back.
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
....absolutely! I hope T Rex plays as well for Manly as he did for the Bulldogs! *cough* ;)
Nambawan
Roar Rookie
T Rex is a good player at his best - but can he be adequately match fit?
steveng
Roar Rookie
Spot on DP Schaefer but "Never Mind" the chooks wont win even with everything stacked and going for them! Its going to be 3 zip for the Bunnies with us having a week off and then into the GF, its all in the heart not in some stacked room at the MRC in the ARL building that is next to the chooks blah blah blah, don't forget (as its been this way forever) when the Bunnies are on song these chooks are just that chooks, we've proved this pre and post 2019!
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
And chooks are fortunate their head butting, arm swinging, head hunting suspension escaping prop avoided justice again. Besides associates in the NRL, partners in TV broadcaster, sympathetic referees, a fan club in the Nine commentary team, and Sally Cap on staff chooks now apparently control the MRC. Burgess a week for a hair pull, JWH {with history equal or worse than Sam} carelessly/intentionally (arguments exist for both) knocks a guy out with a swinging arm and walks. There was a time this game was won on the field. Not in the off-field
politis.. politics.Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Lunacy is apparently what Fittler was suffering from when he named his centres for game 2 in SOO. Cronk played the GF last year with a broken shoulder. Disco Des liked what he saw from Rex playing for Blacktown.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Worth taking if you have limited options... bottom line is if it doesn’t work then the years over.. if he goes with a safer option the result could be the same. It may be lunacy but personally I like Dessie’s lunacy.
Dutski
Roar Guru
T Rex? Wow. Des and his loyalty knows no bounds. Massive risk.
Red Rooster
Guest
Look out Roosters. Russell Crowe is apparently revving the Bunnies up. Maybe throwing a few telephones around. All joking aside the Kiwi "B" Grade Actor must be pleased to see Luke Keary playing so well. Crichton as well appreciating the opportunity to be part of "a winning culture". Hair puller out. Eye gouger back. Good to see the Burgess family well represented.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Great to see Sipley is fit again. He was great before he did his knee and it would have been a big blow for him to cope with.