The injury-hit Storm look set for another blow with one of their superstar playmakers unlikely to play.
Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has explained why he’s making one of the biggest selection gambles of the year, rolling the dice on a player who hasn’t played first grade in almost 20 weeks.
Meanwhile, the Warriors are reportedly ready to roll the dice on Shaun Johnson knowing he may not be able to complete a full match on Saturday.
Read below for all the latest team news out of the second week of finals!
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FRIDAY
Melbourne Storm vs Sydney Roosters at AAMI Park, 7.50pm AEST
Storm team: 1. Nick Meaney 2. William Warbrick 3. Marion Seve 4. Justin Olam 5. Reimis Smith 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Harry Grant 10. Christian Welch 11. Trent Loiero 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Josh King 14. Alec MacDonald 15. Tom Eisenhuth 16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 17. Tariq Sims 18. Grant Anderson 19. Bronson Garlick 20. Tepai Moeroa 21. Tyran Wishart 22. Sualauvi Faalogo
Players cut:
Late Mail: The Storm face a massive blow with star half Jahrome Hughes reportedly in “extreme doubt” for the clash with the Roosters. The Daily Telegraph reports Storm officials are remaining tight lipped on the injury “but it is understood he is unlikely to play against the Roosters”.
Tyran Wishart would likely slot into the halves in his absence.
Roosters team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Fetalaiga Pauga 3. Paul Momirovski 4. Corey Allan 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Fletcher Baker 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Siua Wong 12. Nat Butcher 13. Victor Radley 14. Sandon Smith 15. Egan Butcher 16. Terrell May 17. Angus Crichton 18. Drew Hutchison 19. Naufahu Whyte 20. Zach Dockar-Clay 21. Jake Turpin 22. Nathan Brown
Players cut:
Late Mail: Trent Robinson is making one of the biggest selection gambles of the year but he’s confident Paul Momirovski can come in from the cold to handle the biggest stage.
The 27-year-old is set to come in for just his third NRL game of the season having not played any grade of footy since he suffered a serious shoulder injury back in Round 9.
Momirovski required stabilisation surgery on his left shoulder and only returned to training in late July, but he’s been rushed back with the Roosters missing 80 per cent of their first-choice backline.
Joseph Manu (hamstring), Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (concussion) and Billy Smith (jaw) have all been ruled out following the epic win over Cronulla, joining veteran winger Daniel Tupou (knee) on the sidelines.
It means the Roosters will run out with a very inexperienced backline, but Robinson is confident in Momirovski who won the 2021 title with Penrith and was parachuted in for the 2018 preliminary final win over South Sydney when he replaced the suspended Latrell Mitchell in what was just his second NRL appearance.
“There’s always been confidence in ‘Mommers’, that’s why he’s back here,” Robinson said.
“He’s a grand final winner and a big game player for us.
“I would have liked more games for him with the shoulder injury he’s had, but I’m always confident in Mommers and what he’s capable of.
“With the shoulder surgery, he’s done a lot of running and opposition work against us. We’ve been pushing the strength and all that to the point that he’d be able to get selected.
“This was the first week that he got ticked off (by the medical staff). Two weeks ago they highlighted this week to get ready to play again, so it was timely.”
— NCA Newswire
‘Mentality switch’ key to Roosters surge | 02:19
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SATURDAY
Warriors vs Newcastle Knights at Go Media Stadium, 4.05pm AEST
Warriors team:1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Adam Pompey 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Jackson Ford 12. Marata Niukore 13. Tohu Harris 14. Dylan Walker 15. Jazz Tevaga 16. Bayley Sironen 17. Josh Curran 18. Freddy Lussick 20. Taine Tuaupiki 21. Bunty Afoa 22. Tom Ale 23. Edward Kosi
Players cut:
Late Mail: The Warriors have confirmed halfback Shaun Johnson will not train on Thursday but said it is all part of the plan as he looks to return from a calf injury.
“He trained really well yesterday,” coach Andrew Webster said on Thursday.
“If he can‘t physically do it, he can’t play.
“At this stage, all signs are that he will physically be able to do it.”
The Warriors are happy to trust Johnson, who has enjoyed a career resurgence this season, to make the final call on his fitness and he’ll need to be able to run to play.
“When we‘ve got an experienced player like Shaun, who knows his body really well, if he says I’m really good to go, then we’re going that way,” Webster said.
“We‘re going to give him every chance. You’ve got to understand, he’s on the better side of playing.
“Soft tissues are different to sore shoulders or sore knees, bone on bone, corks.
“You can‘t run. We just couldn’t play him (against Penrith).
“He wanted to play desperately but when I say the word soreness, I mean it‘s aggravated the injury. He couldn’t play.”
Fox League chief rugby league reporter James Hooper believes Johnson is a certainty to start the match, even if he’s not 100 per cent.
“I don’t think there’s any question Shaun Johnson will run out and start given what’s at stake,” Hooper said on NRL 360.
“Of course there’s a risk … he’s trained (on Wednesday) and off the back of that they’ve decided ‘OK we’re going to give him a couple of days off and have him cherry ripe and ready to go on Saturday’.
“All I know is he will run out and he will start this game. Then they’ve got Dylan Walker on the bench and if it all goes pear-shaped and Shaun’s got an issue, they’ve got back-up.”
Knights team: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Adam Clune 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Dylan Lucas 13. Adam Elliott 14. Kurt Mann 15. Daniel Saifiti 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Mathew Croker 18. Brodie Jones 19. Enari Tuala 20. Fa’amanu Brown 21. Lachlan Miller 22. Jack Johns
Players cut:
Late Mail: The Knights are heading over to New Zealand on Thursday with Jackson Hastings (ankle) and Lachlan Fitzgibbon (shoulder) to miss the huge clash and replaced by Adam Clune and Dylan Lucas respectively.
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