Fast start earns code hopper earns shock promotion; season over for Souths star — Rd 26 Late Mail

An interesting name has been included in the Roosters’ extended reserves amid an injury to a star outside back.

Meanwhile, Cam Murray’s season is over after he failed to have a Grade Two Careless Tackle charge downgraded.

Read on for all the Round 26 Early Mail!

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THURSDAY

North Queensland Cowboys v Melbourne Storm, 7:50pm AEST at QLD Country Bank Stadium

Cowboys team: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Viliami Vailea 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Jake Clifford 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. Heilum Luki 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Sam McIntyre 15. Harrison Edwards 16. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 17. Griffin Neame 18. Jaxon Purdue 19. Chad Townsend 20. Tomas Chester 21. Marly Bitungane 22. Braidon Burns

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Storm team: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Dean Ieremia 3. Marion Seve 4. Young Tonumaipea 5. Sualauvi Faalogo 6. Cameron Munster 7. Grant Anderson 8. Lazarus Vaalepu 9. Tyran Wishart 10. Christian Welch 11. Kane Bradley 12. Joe Chan 13. Alec MacDonald 14. Keagan Russell-Smith 15. Tepai Moeroa 16. Ativalu Lisati 17. Tristan Powell 18. Coby Williamson 19. Ammaron Gudgeon 20. Josh King 21. Trent Loiero 22. Nick Meaney

Players cut:

Early Mail: The Storm will more than likely rest 11 players for their clash against the Cowboys. It’s worth noting though that three of those 11 have been named in the extended reserves, but expect Josh King, Nick Meaney and Trent Loiero to drop out of the side at the 24-hour update.

FRIDAY

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Manly Sea Eagles, 6:00pm AEST at Accor Stadium

Bulldogs team: 1. Connor Tracey 2. Jeral Skelton 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Jacob Kiraz 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Matt Burton 7. Toby Sexton 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Samuel Hughes 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jacob Preston 13. Jaeman Salmon 14. Bailey Hayward 15. Kurtis Morrin 16. Harry Hayes 17. Josh Curran 19. Eli Clark 20. Jack Underhill 21. Drew Hutchison 22. Blake Taaffe 23. Lipoi Hopoi

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Sea Eagles team: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jason Saab 3. Tommy Talau 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Lehi Hopoate 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Nathan Brown 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Ben Trbojevic 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Tolutau Koula 15. Josh Aloiai 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Matthew Lodge 18. Toafofoa Sipley 19. Karl Lawton 20. Jamie Humphreys 21. Clayton Faulalo 22. Gordon Chan Kum Tong

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Penrith Panthers v South Sydney Rabbitohs, 8:00pm AEST at BlueBet Stadium

Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Paul Alamoti 5. Brian To’o 6. Brad Schneider 7. Jarome Luai 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Luke Garner 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Trent Toelau 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Liam Henry 17. Mavrik Geyer 18. Matt Eisenhuth 19. Daine Laurie 20. Casey McLean 21. Luron Patea 22. Luke Sommerton

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Rabbitohs team: 1. Jye Gray 2. Tyrone Munro 3. Taane Milne 4. Fletcher Myers 5. Jacob Gagai 6. Jack Wighton 7. Cody Walker 8. Davvy Moale 9. Damien Cook 10. Sean Keppie 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Tallis Duncan 13. Cameron Murray 14. Peter Mamouzelos 15. Jacob Host 16. Thomas Burgess 17. Siliva Havili 18. Dean Hawkins 19. Liam Le Blanc 20. Brock Gray 21. Izaac Tu’itupou Thompson 22. Richard Kennar

Players cut:

Early Mail: Despite a suspension looming over him, skipper Cam Murray was named pending a judiciary hearing on Tuesday night to downgrade his Grade Two Careless High Tackle charge. That bid failed, meaning he’ll miss three games – the final two this season and next year’s opener. Expect Keaon Koloamatangi to shift to lock and Liam Le Blanc to come onto the bench.

SATURDAY

Parramatta Eels v St George Illawarra Dragons, 3:00pm AEST at CommBank Stadium

Eels team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Blaize Talagi 5. Sean Russell 6. Dylan Brown 7. Daejarn Asi 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Brendan Hands 10. Shaun Lane 11. Kelma Tuilagi 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. Joe Ofahengaue 14. Joey Lussick 15. Makahesi Makatoa 16. Luca Moretti 17. Dan Keir 18. Jake Tago 19. Matt Doorey 20. Ethan Sanders 21. Morgan Harper 22. Ofahiki Ogden

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Dragons team: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Zac Lomax 3. Mathew Feagai 4. Max Feagai 5. Christian Tuipulotu 6. Jack Bird 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Jacob Liddle 10. Jack de Belin 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Tom Eisenhuth 14. Toby Couchman 15. Ryan Couchman 16. Blake Lawrie 17. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 18. Lyhkan King-Togia 19. Mikaele Ravalawa 20. Michael Molo 21. Connor Muhleisen 22. Moses Suli

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Dolphins v Brisbane Broncos, 5:30pm AEST at Suncorp Stadium

Dolphins team: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jack Bostock 6. Sean O’Sullivan 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Kenny Bromwich 9. Max Plath 10. Mark Nicholls 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Connelly Lemuelu 13. Ray Stone 14. Mason Teague 15. Oryn Keeley 16. Tesi Niu 17. Kurt Donoghoe 18. Lachlan Hubner 19. Tevita Pangai Junior 20. Trai Fuller 21. Anthony Milford 22. Jeremy Marshall-King

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Broncos team: 1. Tristan Sailor 2. Selwyn Cobbo 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Deine Mariner 5. Jesse Arthars 6. Joshua Rogers 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Corey Jensen 9. Billy Walters 10. Xavier Willison 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan 14. Blake Mozer 15. Benjamin Te Kura 16. Josiah Karapani 17. Martin Taupau 18. Jaiyden Hunt 19. Fletcher Baker 20. Corey Oates 21. Cory Paix 22. Payne Haas

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Cronulla Sharks v New Zealand Warriors, 7:35pm AEST at PointsBet Stadium

Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Siosifa Talakai 4. Kayal Iro 5. Samuel Stonestreet 6. Daniel Atkinson 7. Braydon Trindall 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Jack Williams 15. Royce Hunt 16. Braden Hamlin-Uele 17. Thomas Hazelton 18. Chris Veaila 19. Tuku Hau Tapuha 20. Jayden Berrell 21. Billy Burns 22. Nicho Hynes

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Warriors team: 1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 4. Ali Leiataua 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Luke Metcalf 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Marata Niukore 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Dylan Walker 14. Freddy Lussick 15. Tom Ale 16. Jazz Tevaga 17. Demitric Sifakula 18. Chanel Harris-Tavita 20. Leka Halasima 21. Edward Kosi 22. Paul Roache 23. Jacob Laban

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

SUNDAY

Newcastle Knights v Gold Coast Titans, 2:00pm AEST at McDonald Jones Stadium

Knights team: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Fletcher Sharpe 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Jack Cogger 7. Phoenix Crossland 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Brodie Jones 13. Adam Elliott 14. Will Pryce 15. Mathew Croker 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Thomas Cant 18. Kyle McCarthy 19. Sebastian Su’a 20. Jackson Hastings 21. David Armstrong 22. Thomas Jenkins

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Titans team: 1. Keano Kini 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Phillip Sami 5. Jojo Fifita 6. Jayden Campbell 7. Kieran Foran 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Sam Verrills 10. Jaimin Jolliffe 11. David Fifita 12. Beau Fermor 13. Chris Randall 14. Josiah Pahulu 15. Isaac Liu 16. Erin Clark 17. Klese Haas 18. Tanah Boyd 19. Keenan Palasia 20. Joe Stimson 21. Arama Hau 22. Jaylan De Groot

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Sydney Roosters v Canberra Raiders, 4:05pm at Allianz Stadium

Roosters team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Michael Jennings 4. Joseph Manu 5. Dominic Young 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Spencer Leniu 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Angus Crichton 12. Victor Radley 13. Nat Butcher 14. Connor Watson 15. Naufahu Whyte 16. Sitili Tupouniua 17. Terrell May 18. Sandon Smith 19. Siua Wong 20. Robert Toia 21. Zach Dockar-Clay 22. Mark Nawaqanitawase

Players cut:

Early Mail: Rugby union convert Mark Nawaqanitawase was a shock inclusion to the Roosters’ extended squad. The 23-year-old has played in just two rugby league games since switching sports, but has impressed in both of those at NSW Cup level. His two games have resulted in two Roosters wins, while recording two tries, 12 tackle busts, three linebreaks, eight offloads and 367 running metres. While unlikely to be this weekend called into a Roosters side missing outside back Joseph Suaalii, the move suggests a Nawaqanitawase sighting in the NRL is close to reality.

Raiders team: 1. Jordan Rapana 2. Albert Hopoate 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Kaeo Weekes 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Tom Starling 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Morgan Smithies 14. Danny Levi 15. Corey Horsburgh 16. Ata Mariota 17. Simi Sasagi 18. Jed Stuart 19. Zac Woolford 20. Emre Guler 21. Adam Cook 22. Trey Mooney

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.