St George Illawarra’s search for a winning formula has seen them name a third captain this season for Friday’s NRL clash against Canberra.
As they look to snap out of a form slump that saw them bashed 52-16 by Cronulla last time out, Blake Lawrie will lead the Dragons instead of Jack de Belin with usual skipper Ben Hunt in Queensland State of Origin camp.
De Belin captained the side against the Dolphins in round 13 when they last played without Hunt, with the club facing backlash for giving him the role. Lawrie was not available due to a hand injury. De Belin was stood down for more than two years on sexual assault charges from 2018, but returned to the Dragons after bring found not guilty on one charge and with a jury not reaching a verdict on another five.
A calf injury for young gun Tyrell Sloan has not made their form turnaround any easier, opting for club debutant and former Maori All Star Paul Turner at No.1.
Moses Suli is back in the centres in place of Tautau Moga, while young duo Jayden Sullivan and Talatau Amone will pair in the halves.
The Raiders have had to dig deep to replace Origin-bound lock Corey Horsburgh and injured prop Pasami Saulo (concussion), who join stalwart Josh Papali’i (hamstring) on the sidelines.
They’ve moved bench forward Ata Mariota to lock and added young duo Trey Mooney and Peter Hola to their interchange.
Canterbury have swung the axe after their disastrous 66-0 loss to Newcastle, with Hayze Perham, Paul Alamoti and Khaled Rajab dumped for Saturday’s game against South Sydney.
They’ve named newly signed halfback Toby Sexton at No.7 the same day his move from Gold Coast was confirmed, with Jake Averillo shifting to fullback and Braidon Burns and Jackson Topine pairing in the centres.
The Rabbitohs have replaced a quartet of NSW Origin stars, with Dean Hawkins set to play five-eighth in Cody Walker‘s absence and Ben Lovett starting in the back row in place of Keaon Koloamatangi.
Shaquai Mitchell will play lock instead of Cam Murray.
Wests Tigers duo David Nofoaluma and Brent Naden each missed a game-high seven tackles in their 74-0 pounding by North Queensland and the club says they are out with shoulder injuries. Asu Kepaoa and Tommy Talau take their spots.
Parramatta have named Sean Russell at fullback with Clint Gutherson in NSW camp, while Ryan Matterson will return to the halves with Mitch Moses also with the Blues.
Isaac Lumelume takes Russell’s wing for their clash with the Warriors, while lock J’maine Hopgood is named at No.13 despite being Queensland’s 19th man.
And the Titans have covered their own four losses to Origin; Jayden Campbell taking AJ Brimson‘s role at No.1 with Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui, Klese Haas and Jaimin Jolliffe earning starting jobs.
Jeremy Marshall-King‘s season is far from over after the club received positive news about the extent of his ongoing shoulder injury which will not require surgery.
The 27-year-old, described by Dolphins prop Josh Kerr as “tough as woodpecker lips”, trained on his own on Tuesday and was named to line up against the Gold Coast on Sunday after coach Wayne Bennett feared his season could be over.
Dolphins head of performance Jeremy Hickmans told AAP that Marshall-King’s shoulder had “settled down really well” after the Broncos clash. “Jeremy irritated it towards the end of the game, but he’s not out for the season,” Hickmans said.
Dale Finucane. (Photo by Matt Blyth/Getty Images)
“We will see how he goes this week and every week going forward. He has got a small labral tear but nothing that is requiring surgery at the moment.”
Veteran forward Felise Kaufusi (concussion) is out this Sunday for the road clash with the Titans.
Meanwhile, Sharks forward Dale Finucane will miss the next two weeks after he was charged for dangerous contact after Thursday night’s win over the Dragons.
Finucane upended Blake Lawrie in the first half and as it is his third and subsequent offence, he will be on the sidelines for a fortnight rather than copping a fine.
Round 19 teams
Tigers vs Sharks, at CommBank Stadium – 7.50pm, Thursday, July 6
Tigers: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Asu Kepaoa 3. Starford To’a 4. Tommy Talau 5. Junior Tupou 6. Daine Laurie 7. Brandon Wakeham 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Jake Simpkin 10. David Klemmer 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. John Bateman 13. Fonua Pole 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Shawn Blore 16. Alex Seyfarth 17. Aistasi James 18. Justin Matamua 19. Will Smith 20. Triston Reilly 21. Brandon Tumeth 22. Josh Feledy
Alex Twal has been suspended but fellow prop Stefano Utoikamanu is available again after being dropped by NSW. Aitasi James has been promoted to the interchange while veteran backs David Nofoaluma and Brent Naden have been left out due to shoulder problems with Tommy Talau and Asu Kepaoa taking their spots.
Sharks: 1. Will Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Matt Moylan 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Oregon Kaufusi 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Toby Rudolf 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Jack Williams 15. Wade Graham 16. Jesse Colquhoun 17. Thomas Hazelton 18. Connor Tracey 19. Braydon Trindall 20. Tuku Hau Tapuha 21. Mawene Hiroti 22. Jayden Berrell
Dale Finucane has been handed a two-game ban so Cameron McInnes will come in at lock with Jesse Colquhoun onto the bench.
Toby Rudolf is back in the NRL side after a successful NSW Cup return after three months out with a foot injury, replacing fellow prop Braden Hamlin-Uele, who is out with a rib problem.
Dragons vs Raiders, at WIN Stadium – 8pm, Friday, July 7
Dragons: 1. Paul Turner 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Zac Lomax 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Talatau Amone 7. Jayden Sullivan 8. Francis Molo 9. Jacob Liddle 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Ben Murdoch-Masila 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Moses Mbye 15. Michael Molo 16. Toby Couchman 17. Dan Russell 18. Sione Finau 19. Ryan Couchman 20. Zane Musgrove 21. Max Feagai 22. Billy Burns
Moses Suli will return from a grade-one concussion so Tautau Moga makes way. Jack Bird (knee) is still not fit.
Talatau Amone and Jayden Sullivan will pair up in the halves with Ben Hunt in Queensland camp while fullback Tyrell Sloan (calf) is out with Paul Turner promoted to play his first game for St George Illawarra after a standout performance at Henson Park last Saturday in a big win over Newtown.
Daniel Russell is set to make his NRL debut on the bench as a utility at the age of 27 after four Tests with PNG and a lengthy stint in the Cowboys lower grades.
Raiders: 1. Sebastian Kris 2. Albert Hopoate 3. Jarrod Croker 4. Matthew Timoko 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Jack Wighton 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Emre Guler 9. Zac Woolford 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Ata Mariota 14. Tom Starling 15. Trey Mooney 16. Nick Cotric 17. Peter Hola 18. Matt Frawley 19. Danny Levi 20. Hohepa Puru 21. Xavier Savage 22. Clay Webb
Pasami Saulo (head knock) is out, Corey Horsburgh is on Origin duty and Josh Papali’i (hamstring) is likely to miss a couple more weeks so Ata Mariota will start at prop with Emre Guler.
Eels vs Warriors, at CommBank Stadium – 5.30pm, Saturday, July 8
Eels: 1. Sean Russell 2. Maika Sivo 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Bailey Simonsson 5. Isaac Lumelume 6. Ryan Matterson 7. Daejarn Asi 8. Ofahiki Ogden 9. Brendan Hands 10. Junior Paulo 11. Bryce Cartwright 12. Andrew Davey 13. J’maine Hopgood 14. Luca Moretti 15. Joe Ofahengaue 16. Shaun Lane 17. Makahesi Makatoa 18. Haze Dunster 19. Waqa Blake 20. Ky Rodwell 21. Matt Doorey 22. Jack Murchie
Hooker Josh Hodgson (neck) is still out and Parra will also be without skipper Clint Gutherson, halfback Mitchell Moses and prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard on Origin duty.
Junior Paulo was dropped by NSW so he will offset RCG’s absence. Sean Russell starts at fullback for Gutherson, Ryan Matterson returns to the halves with Daejarn Asi, Shaun Lane is back from a hamstring problem and Luca Moretti is the new face on the interchange.
Dylan Brown is out until Round 23 after he was suspended by the NRL after he was found guilty of sexual touching.
Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Adam Pompey 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Luke Metcalf 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Bunty Afoa 11. Jackson Ford 12. Mitchell Barnett 13. Tohu Harris 14. Dylan Walker 15. Bayley Sironen 16. Tom Ale 17. Freddy Lussick 18. Brayden Wiliame 20. Ronald Volkman 21. Kalani Going 22. Zyon Maiu’u 23. Taine Tuaupiki
Coach Andrew Webster is set to keep the same side which lost to Souths although veteran half Shaun Johnson could be out if he stays in Auckland for the birth of his second child.
Back-rower Josh Curran has been banned until next round as part of a two-match suspension for an off-season assault.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Rabbitohs vs Bulldogs, at Accor Stadium – 7.35pm, Saturday, July 8
Rabbitohs: 1. Blake Taaffe 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Taane Milne 5. Tyrone Munro 6. Dean Hawkins 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Siliva Havili 10. Thomas Burgess 11. Ben Lovett 12. Michael Chee Kam 13. Shaq Mitchell 14. Peter Mamouzelos 15. Tallis Duncan 16. Davvy Moale 17. Hame Sele 18. Richard Kennar 19. Josiah Karapani 20. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 21. Liam Knight 22. Jacob Gagai
With Campbell Graham out, Taane Milne will line up in the centres again. Cody Walker’s absence at five-eighth opens the door for Dean Hawkins while Damien Cook, Keaon Koloamatangi and Cameron Murray are also out. Siliva Havili will deputise for Cook at hooker with young rake Peter Mamouzelos on the interchange.
Second-rower Jacob Host has one more match to serve for his ban for a shoulder charge.
Bulldogs: 1. Jake Averillo 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Braidon Burns 4. Jackson Topine 5. Blake Wilson 6. Matt Burton 7. Toby Sexton 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Ryan Sutton 11. Jayden Okunbor 12. Jacob Preston 13. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 14. Kyle Flanagan 15. Kurtis Morrin 16. Tevita Pangai Junior 17. Harrison Edwards 19. Reece Hoffman 20. Karl Oloapu 21. Jeral Skelton 22. Ethan Quai-Ward 23. Chris Patolo
Josh Addo-Carr has kept his NSW spot while Matt Burton was overlooked and has avoided a ban for a hip-drop tackle.
He returns to five-eighth with midweek recruit Toby Sexton to play his first match for the Dogs at halfback.
Jake Averillo has been returned to fullback ahead of the dumped Hayze Perham, Jackson Topine and Braidon Burns are the new centres and Blake Wilson is on the wing for Addo-Carr.
Kyle Flanagan has been reinstated to the bench while Paul Alamoti and Khaled Rajab have also been dropped after the 66-0 loss to the Knights.
Titans vs Dolphins, at Cbus Super Stadium – 4.05pm, Sunday, July 9
Titans: 1. Jayden Campbell 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Aaron Schoupp 5. Phillip Sami 6. Kieran Foran 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Jaimin Jolliffe 9. Sam Verrills 10. Iszac Fa’asumaleaui 11. Klese Haas 12. Joe Stimson 13. Isaac Liu 14. Chris Randall 15. Erin Clark 16. Jojo Fifita 17. Jacob Alick 18. Thomas Mikaele 19. Keano Kini 20. Kruise Leeming 21. Ken Maumalo 22. Tony Francis
AJ Brimson being on Maroons duty means Jayden Campbell will start at fullback. Moeaki Fotuaika, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita are out of the pack with Iszac Fa’asumaleaui and Klese Haas recalled to the game-day line-up while PNG forward Jacob Alick will make his NRL debut from the interchange.
Dolphins: 1. Kodi Nikorima 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Euan Aitken 4. Valynce Te Whare 5. Tesi Niu 6. Isaiya Katoa 7. Sean O’Sullivan 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Herman Ese’ese 11. Connelly Lemuelu 12. Kenny Bromwich 13. Ray Stone 14. Josh Kerr 15. Mark Nicholls 16. Anthony Milford 17. Jarrod Wallace 18. Max Plath 19. Harrison Graham 20. Poasa Faamausili 21. Brenko Lee 22. Kurt Donoghoe
Kodi Nikorima will stay at fullback with hooker Jeremy Marshall-King’s shoulder cleared of serious damage. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is out on Origin duty so Euan Aitken partners Valyne Te Whare in the centres.
Anthony Milford and Jarrod Wallace each return from their respective suspensions but Felise Kaufusi (head knock) is out.
Bye – Broncos, Cowboys, Knights, Panthers, Roosters, Sea Eagles, Storm
with AAP
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
What if he plays the GF and then wins the appeal?
Emcie
Roar Guru
The absolute maximum sentence for a very broad category of crime just meets the bare minimum requirement of a certain bracket of severity, so in laymen’s terms we’re arguing about whether or not groping should be classified in the same group as murder. ST can be a serious crime depending on the circumstances, but 5yr sentences are for people who plead not guilty with a rap sheet. With a clean record, character references and a guilty plea the CCO was about as bad as Brown was facing and his lawyer would have been arguing for conditional release without conviction, it’s not even in the same ballpark as legitimate serious crimes legally. That said, no one drinks 15-20 drinks out of nowhere and a pattern of getting blind drunk in public places is going to put him in compromising positions and get others like the innocent woman hurt. He clearly needs a wakeup call even if (big if) he’s a perfect gentleman when sober, but the NRLs penalty was weak and sets a very poor precedent. Especially considering their apparent strong stance when choosing to apply the no fault stand down.
mushi
Roar Guru
I love that the roar is okay with someone advocating breaking the law and smashing another person's jaw.
mushi
Roar Guru
The charge is where the serious crime line is defined from my reading. Final sentencing therefore cannot determine, that's basic logic. Now happy to have a definitional debate but not sentencing over rules a definition of the charge. I'd be happy to back people shouldn't throw around terms but arguing against semantics when that was the only defence of the person you are now defending is hollow.
Emcie
Roar Guru
I mean, Arnab actually brought up “serious crime” by saying thats what Brown was charged with (not accused of). Serious crime is an actual category for crimes with 5yr+ jail terms, isn’t categorising Browns case as that more of a technicality, especially given his actual punishment and that actual jail time was never on the cards? Arguing malice (badly) might look bad in isolation but in the context of the difference between serious crime and what Brown did it’s not out of place, just poorly presented. I’m not roasting Arnab, it just sounds like he had half the information (and it doesn’t sound like Andrew had all the info either), but if that was presented in a newspaper he’d be liable for defamation. This whole thing sounds like it could have been avoided if people didn’t throw around terms without knowing what they mean and now we’re nine comments deep arguing semantics around commentary of an issue we seem to agree on otherwise.
mushi
Roar Guru
If he'd stuck to SA v ST sure but he then makes the statement that being charged with ST isn't being charged with a serious crime and evokes the technicality of it. Even the rationale of the case's sentencing defining doesn't make sense as it is after he is charged. In that he isn't juxtaposing SA and ST anymore he's misrepresenting the ST to help with his position. He even introduces unknown mitigating context which is classic down playing. Agree Arnab has misrepresented but so has Andrew in my view.
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
No they are not concerned that Hodgson remains unavailable. More concerning is the Club extended the contract of a soon to be 34 year old hooker who has played more than 12 games in a season just once in the last 4 years, who just had neck surgery and whose best performance this year was, generously, a 6 out of 10.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Not sure I can agree with that, personally i find people (mainly the media) throwing around the "maximum 5 years" around to be misrepresenting the facts. Personally I also think that Brown should spend the rest of the year on the sideline. I think Arnabs original comment misrepresented a lot even if i agree with the premise, Andrews comment was in response to that misrepresentation arguing that he was conflating what Brown was accused of with what Hayne and others were accused of (ST compared with SA). It's very hard to compare two bad things without sounding like you're minimising one of them, and I don't think Andrew did a good job of it but I think his point is clear given the context
mushi
Roar Guru
But it is covered. So then we're drifting from arguing the technical legal definition to the philosophical. Which then has to be the view it isn't serious in the eyes of the poster.
Emcie
Roar Guru
That's more an issue of how broad the terminology is though. Indecent Assault (using the old term to not get blocked) covers a lot of things from touching feet to much much more threatening scenarios, so I'm not sure maximum sentence and potential sentence are exactly interchangeable. That he plead guilty to everything and got a sentence on the lower end of the spectrum is a fairer indication of what he was facing.
mushi
Roar Guru
Who are you thinking? The only ones that would are those who aren’t facing jail time. Also interesting that we seem to not care about the female who has to climb the monumental burden whilst being vilified or just “deal with it”.
mushi
Roar Guru
Even going to the technical definition I thought it was judged by the potential sentence at the time the charge was brought not the eventual sentence. Arguing that, at this point, smacks of trying to minimise the offence.
Nick
Roar Rookie
The judge giving Dylan brown a CCO was as close to prison as he could have gotten. He's a lucky boy. But he'll need to be a clean boy for the next year.
Nick
Roar Rookie
Will the policy tempt a player to plead guilty in the future, when he wasn’t , in an effort to get a fairer outcome than the draconian , can’t play because you might have done it policy? Absolutely not. No one - ever - would do that. A conviction stays with you for life, long after people forget he was once a football player. For example, for the rest of his life, he now needs to apply for a visa to enter practically every country except New Zealand and Australia. That's an annoying burden. If he ever finds himself in financial straits (possible) post retirement and needs to get a regular job, that conviction rules him out of a fair few jobs. It's simply not worth pleading guilty to avoid the stand down policy.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Depends what parts you're focusing on I guess. Maybe I'm just viewing it as someone who's given the wrong impression too many times by badly making an arguement
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Making the point badly or making a bad point? But I get what you're saying. As a father if a young woman it worries me that these things get downplayed
Emcie
Roar Guru
I think the point that Andrew is making badly trying to make is that SA and what Brown was charged with are different things. In comparison with what Arnab implied in his comment it is a lesser charge and drunkenly groping someone on the dance floor is a lot different to what de Belin was accused of for example. Drunk isn't an excuse but it's not the same as premeditated. Personally I think he got a slap on the wrist and should be out for the season but I don't think conflating the terminology for two distinct crimes is good for the victims of serious SA
mushi
Roar Guru
And on full pay for a good portion
mushi
Roar Guru
Don't know seems like he's down playing it to me.
mushi
Roar Guru
Isn't it based on the potential sentence for the offence.