Teams are being announced for the second and final round of NRL trials.
All 16 teams will complete their pre-season preparations with eight matches from Friday through until Monday night, kicking off with a double-header at Central Coast Stadium.
Several stars are being rested before round one, which kicks off on March 10, while a lot of players will get their only hit-out leading into the season after sitting out last weekend’s trials.
Jackson Hastings will suit up for the first time as a Wests Tiger in Friday night’s clash with the Roosters in Gosford.
Dragons pair Tariq Sims (calf) and Moses Mbye (thigh) will sit out the Charity Shield on Saturday against Souths in Mudgee.
Brisbane coach Kevin Walters has named Selwyn Cobbo at fullback for their trial with the Cowboys, giving the young gun a chance to replace Tesi Niu (hamstring) in the round-one line-up.
Eels winger Haze Dunster was the unluckiest player from week one of the trials, suffering a season-ending knee injury from a dangerous hip-drop tackle by Dragons forward Tyrell Fuimaono, who has copped a five-game ban.
Sharks duo Braydon Trindall (two games for a high tackle) and Franklin Pele (one game for a shoulder charge) were the only other players rubbed out for the start of the season from the first trial week.
Cameron McInnes (knee) is out for the next month while Matt Moylan is being rested this weekend with Trindall filling in at five-eighth.
Roosters stars James Tedesco and Luke Keary, Cowboys forward Jason Taumalolo and Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds are among the top talent who have already been confirmed as absentees this weekend by their coaches.
North Queensland coach Todd Payten has switched up his backs with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to play fullback and Valentine Holmes to line up at centre in their trial against Brisbane in Mackay while Tom Dearden and Scott Drinkwater will get half a game each at five-eighth alongside veteran halfback Chad Townsend.
Latrell Mitchell, who has had his comeback from suspension brought forward to round two after the NRL decided to include the All Stars game as part of his ban, has not been named in South Sydney’s Charity Shield squad.
Lachlan Ilias is slotting into the No.7 jersey left vacant by Reynolds’ switch to the Broncos and is all but certain to start the season alongside Cody Walker.
Raiders fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad will not be in action this weekend after testing positive to COVID-19, with teammates Jordan Rapana, Sam Williams and Matt Frawley also isolating.
Titans coach Justin Holbrook has also contracted COVID-19 and the club said he watch on from home for the Redcliffe clash with the Warriors while assistant Jim Dymock runs the show. David Fifita (ribs), Will Smith (concussion) and new captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui have been cleared to play.
Shaun Johnson will make his first appearance in a Warriors jersey since 2018 while Chanel Harris-Tavita has been selected at fullback.
Unlike in the regular season when squads must be announced by 4pm on Tuesday, clubs have until the same time on Thursday to do so for the trials.
Sea Eagles
1 Tom Trbojevic
2 Jason Saab
3 Brad Parker
4 Tolu Koula
5 Reuben Garrick
6 Kieran Foran
7 Daly Cherry-Evans (c)
8 Sean Keppie
9 Lachlan Croker
10 Martin Taupau
11 Haumole Olakau’atu
12 Ethan Bullemor
13 Jake Trbojevic
14 Dylan Walker
15 Karl Lawton
16 Taniela Paseka
17 Toff Sipley
18 James Roumanos
19 Kurt De Luis
20 Eiden Ackland
21 Christian Tuipulotu
23 Kaeo Weekes
24 Ben Trbojevic
25 Jorge Taufua
Raiders
Roosters
Interchange
Tigers
Warriors
Interchange
14. Jazz Tevaga
15. Otukinekina Kepu
16. Ben Murdoch-Masila
17. Aaron Pene
18. Bayley Sironen
20. Taniela Otukolo
21. Ash Taylor
22. Edward Kosi
23. Jack Murchie
24. Adam Pompey
25. Junior Ratuva
26 Jayden Corrigan
Titans:
1. Jayden Campbell
2. Phillip Sami
3. Brian Kelly
4. Patrick Herbert
5. Corey Thompson
6. AJ Brimson
7. Toby Sexton
8. Moeaki Fotuaika
9. Erin Clark
10. Jaimin Jolliffe
11. David Fifita
12. Beau Fermor
13. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui ©
Interchange
14. Tanah Boyd
15. Sam Lisone
16. Jarrod Wallace
17. Will Smith
18. Herman Ese’ese
19. Kevin Proctor
20. Sam McIntyre
21. Paul Turner
22. Treymain Spry
23. Greg Marzhew
24. Esan Marsters
Panthers
Eels:
1. Clint Gutherson (c)
2. Sean Russell
3. Will Penisini
4. Waqa Blake
5. Bailey Simonsson
6. Dylan Brown
7. Mitch Moses
8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Junior Paulo (c)
11. Shaun Lane
12. Isaiah Papali’i
13. Ryan Matterson
Interchange
14. Makahesi Makatoa
15. Oregon Kaufusi
16. Ray Stone
17. Jake Arthur
18. Mitch Rein
19. Marata Niukore
20. Ofahiki Ogden
21. Jordan Rankin
22. Brendan Hands
23. Ky Rodwell
24. Bryce Cartwright
25. Hayze Perham
26. Solomone Naiduki
27. Tom Opacic
28. Sam Loizou
Rabbitohs
Interchange
Dragons
Interchange:
Cowboys
Interchange
Broncos
Interchange
Storm
1 Nick Meaney
2 George Jennings
3 Reimis Smith
4 Justin Olam
5 Xavier Coates
6 Cooper Johns
7 Jahrome Hughes
8 Jesse Bromwich
9 Tyran Wishart
10 Christian Welch
11 Felise Kaufusi
12 Kenny Bromwich
13 Josh King
Interchange
14 Sua Fa’alogo
15 Will Warbrick
16 Alec MacDonald
17 Chris Lewis
18 Jayden Nikorima
19 Dean Ieremia
20 Bronson Garlick
21 Trent Loiero
22 Brandon Smith
23 Nelson Asofa-Solomona
24 Cameron Munster
25 Jack Howarth
26 Harry Grant
27 Grant Anderson
Knights
Interchange:
Extended Bench:
Sharks
Bulldogs
1 Matthew Dufty
2 Jayden Okunbor
3 Aaron Schoupp
4 Brent Naden
5 Josh Addo-Carr
6 Matt Burton
7 Jake Averillo
8 Luke Thompson
9 Jeremy Marshall-King
10 Paul Vaughan
11 Jack Hetherington
12 Tevita Pangai Junior
13 Josh Jackson
Interchange
14 Brandon Wakeham
15 Chris Patolo
16 Max King
17 Corey Waddell
19 Khaled Rajeb
20 Braidon Burns
21 Lipoi Hipoi
22 Paul Alamoti
23 Ava Seumanufagai
24 Bailey Biondi-Odo
25 Declan Casey
26 Kyle Flanagan
27 Joe Stimson
28 Jackson Topine
29 Josh Cook
Rob
Guest
Very different Cowboys mix especially on the edges with Holmes attacking, Hiku defending with young back row and now a kicking 7. Hammer playing out the back. I’ll be watching with excitement. There is no friendly trial with these games.
3 R M
Guest
Cowboy's and Bronco's fielding young starting packs in Mackay with Capewell being the aged veteran at 28 . It will be good to see what improvement has been made on the off-season for both these sides . It won't give a real gauge on the Bronco's without Reynold's as his presence I believe will change the amount pressure they'll mount but both teams will want to see significant improvement on last season regardless of the result . Though all games matter against Brisbane.. McLean to the bench with Brown winning the start this game, got to love competition for spots. Like the broncs 5\8 is up for grabs, and maybe there is a spot on the bench but I doubt it as big Jase will come back in in rnd 1 so someone will have to make way .
andrew
Roar Rookie
Hey Phil. I would have thought Molo would have started, but what would I know, I'm just your average supporter. None the less, I will hold Griffin accountable if Saints have a dismal season.
Phil
Roar Rookie
Andrew, Andrew, Woods knows only one way to run/walk at the defence and you picked it. At first I was taken aback when I saw the hirsute one in the first 13, but, Griffin being Griffin, there are no surprises anymore. If Woods tears the Souths pack apart in attack and smashes them in defence then I will eat a big humble pie but I don't fear any indigestion on Saturday night. Apart from that I'm tipping Saints to win only because of blind devotion.
andrew
Roar Rookie
That was a surprise to me too KW, Woods starting. I'm thinking he must have done some serious sprint training in the off season. I don't want to see him walking backwards into the defence.
KenW
Roar Rookie
Happy to see De Belin at lock, and quite like Bird at 2nd row. Considering it seems to be generally a first choice side though I'm surprised to see Woods and Lawrie as starting prop, with Molo on the bench. It all depends on how they rotate through them of course, but it seems to indicate a pecking order I wouldn't have expected.
andrew
Roar Rookie
As you know AMD, the Charity Shield is played like 2 points are on the line.
Redcap
Roar Guru
I'm sticking with pre-season games don't mean anything, unless the Dragons win of course. :stoked:
andrew
Roar Rookie
Glad to see Sloan at fullback and DeBelin at lock. Well, Saturday night will give all Dragon supporters a glimpse of what may become of 2022,hopefully a drastic improvement from last year.
Malo
Guest
Why would you let your stars play and risk getting injured in trials.
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
The Parra Eels naming a significantly stronger side for their trial against Penrith than they did for their Rd 25 clash last year... As for COVID, i suspect we will see very very few players missing games due to COVID (unless they are debilitatingly sick) . Not saying players won't contract it, but given sport (in general) has never perfected drug testing, i don't see them being able to monitor RAT testing by players and clubs.
James Bardot
Guest
I'm failing to see the havoc , but the hysteria is obvious.