Round 26 NRL Teams
All Teams have been analysed in comparison to the side they last put on the field and the relative impact of new players or those returning from injury.
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Round 26 NRL Teams
KNIGHTS v RABBITOHS
NEW: Gidley (c), McManus, Likiliki, MacDougall, Uate, Stig, Mullen, Tuimavave, De Gois, Kaufusi, Houston, Costigan, Edwards. Bench: Hilder, Ciraldo, Fa'aoso, Taufua, Tetevano.[Team Changes - The Knights are without Keith Lulia this week after he suffered a knee injury against the Bulldogs. Siuatonga Likiliki keeps his spot in the centres with Adam MacDougall returning from a knee injury. Peter Mata'utia goes back to NSW Cup, with Kurt Gidley back at fullback. Matt Hilder is named to return from a serious head gash on the bench, while Mark Taufua joins an extended bench and Marvin Karawana drops off it. ]
SOU: Merritt, Farrell, Corrigan, McQueen, Talanoa, Sutton, Sandow, Ross, Luke, McPherson, Pettybourne, Taylor, Crocker (c). Bench: L Burgess, Tyrrell, Clark, Peats, Roberts.
[Team Changes - The Bunnies lost Greg Inglis to a season ending ankle injury in the loss to the Broncos but can still make the Finals if they beat the Knights on Friday. Nathan Merritt and John Sutton return from injury, while Roy Asotasi could be a late inclusion. Chris McQueen goes to the centres, Fetuli Talanoa comes onto the wing and James Roberts is on an extended bench. Eddy Pettybourne's eye injury will be monitored during the week. ]
STI: Boyd, Morris, Gasnier, Cooper, Nightingale, Soward, Hornby (c), Hunt, Young, Weyman, Scott, Creagh, Prior. Bench: Green, Fien, Cuthbertson, Merrin, Rein.[Team Changes - The Dragons have added Adam Cuthbertson to the bench for the second straight week despite not playing him against the Warriors. Kyle Stanley is out of the squad and will play Toyota Cup again. Dean Young starts at hooker with Mitch Rein and Nathan Fien on an extended bench. ]
PEN: Coote, Simmons, Vaivai, Tighe, Purtell, Burns, Walsh, McKendry, Seluini, Bell, Smith, Plum, Lewis (c). Bench: Kingston, Weston, Grant, Austin.
[Team Changes - The Panthers have not named Petero Civoniceva or Trent Waterhouse (both knee injuries) but both could actually play. Luke Lewis is named to return from concussion, while youngster Blake Austin gets another crack at the big time on the bench. If Civoniceva and Waterhouse don't play then Matt Bell and Nathan Smith would start. ]
WARRIORS v COWBOYS
WAR: Locke, Tupou, Moon, Berrigan, Inu, Maloney, Johnson, Sam Rapira, Mara, Lillyman, Mateo, Mannering (c), Luck. Bench: Hohaia, Matulino, Ta'ai, Brown.[Team Changes - The Warriors have lost key starting hooker Aaron Heremaia with a hand injury and have promoted Alehana Mara to hooker. Elijah Taylor has been dropped with Ukuma Ta'ai returning from suspension alongside Lewis Brown on the bench. Manu Vatuvei could be a late inclusion, as doubt surrounds Shaun Berrigan (Hip) for this game. ]
NQL: Bowen, Graham, Tate, Tonga, Fai-Fai Loa, Thompson, Thurston (c), Scott (c), Payne, Tamou, Cooper, Hall, Johnson. Bench: Segeyaro, Bolton, Taumalolo, A Sims, C Paterson.
[Team Changes - The Cowboys suffered a huge blow with Tariq Sims sidelined for the season with a broken ankle. Gavin Cooper goes back into the starting side for Sims, with Ashton Sims and Cory Paterson included on the bench. Matt Scott's back isn't 100% but he will play, as will Dallas Johnson (Concussion). ]
CRO: Gordon, Mills, Collis, Best, Williams, Kelly, Graham, Snowden, Morris, Douglas, Smith, Tupou, Gallen (c). Bench: Tagataese, Tautai, Aiton, Cordoba, Pomeroy.
[Team Changes - The Sharks have named Dean Collis at centre again despite him failing to play there against the Cowboys. Ben Pomeroy who replaced Collis has gone back to the bench. Taulima Tautai is the new face on the bench, while John Mannah is omitted. ]
WTG: Moltzen, Ryan, Ayshford, Utai, Tuqiri, Marshall, Lui, Gibbs, Farah (c), Galloway, Fulton, Ellis, Heighington. Bench: Brown, Groat, Woods, Murdoch-Masila.[Team Changes - The Tigers hope to get Bryce Gibbs back from a lacerated knee for the final game of the regular season but Todd Payten is probably another week away with a knee injury. Lote Tuqiri got knees in the back against the Titans but should be sweet and Matt Utai only suffered from cramp. Ben Murdoch-Masila holds his spot on the bench ahead of Mark Flanagan after both were late inclusions against the Titans. ]
GLD: Rankin, Michaels, Tonga, Toopi, Mead, Zillman, Campbell, Bailey (c), Srama, White, Laffranchi, Minichiello, Bird. Bench: Lawrence, Matthews, Thompson, O'Dwyer.
[Team Changes - The Titans cannot bring anyone new into their squad as they have been decimated with injuries. Clinton Toopi is named at centre again but he didn't last the whole match with the Tigers due to concussion, while Greg Bird's hand is badly broken. There are no changes to the 17 - but that's not necessarily by choice. ]
PAR: Burt, Morgan, Horo, Smith, Hicks, Hayne, McGuire, Mannah, Keating, MoiMoi, Hindmarsh (c), Lasalo, Maitua. Bench: Shackleton, Allgood, O'Hanlon, Poore.
[Team Changes - The Eels will have to make just the one enforced change with Tim Mannah (Hammy) named but long odds to play Saturday Night. Otherwise there are no other changes for the Eels who lost yet another game in golden point last Friday Night. ]
BULLDOGS v RAIDERS
[Team Changes - The Bulldogs will farewell Andrew Ryan in Round 26 and have added veteran Michael Hodgson to the bench for his final game in the NRL after a long stint in NSW Cup. Grant Millington had shoulder surgery on Monday. ]
CAN: Dugan, Ferguson, Croker, Galea, Robinson, McCrone, Williams, White, Tongue (c), Shillington, Papalii, Harrison, Fensom. Bench: M Picker, J Picker, Mataora, Tilse, Kennedy.
[Team Changes - Canberra decided not to contest a high tackle charge against Joel Thompson and he will miss the final regular season game of 2011. Danny Galea goes into the centres and Josh Papalii starts in the second row. Sam Mataora and Jarrad Kennedy are added to the bench that also has Dane Tilse. Josh Dugan should play. ]
BRI: Hoffman, Beale, Reed, Te'o, Yow Yeh, Lockyer (c), Wallace, McGuire, McCullough, Anderson, Glenn, Thaiday, Parker. Bench: Gillett, Hunt, Hannant, Hala.
[Team Changes - The Broncos will not play Justin Hodges again until the first week of the Finals due to a hamstring injury and as a result Ben Te'o holds his centre spot, and David Hala remains on the bench. So basically - the Broncos are unchanged. ]
MAN: Hopoate, Robertson, Lyon (c), Matai, Oldfield, Buhrer, Cherry-Evans, Galuvao, Ballin, Kite, Watmough, Rodney, G Stewart. Bench: Mauro, Harrison, Rose, T Williams, Seuseu, Robinson.
[Team Changes - Manly lose Glenn Stewart (they did name him), Kieran Foran and Darcy Lussick to suspension from the Donnybrook Oval incident, and would have lost Brett Stewart for a week if he wasn't already injured. David Williams has a broken neck and is out indefinitely. Will Hopoate is the new fullback, Michael Oldfield goes to the wing, Jamie Buhrer to five-eighth and Vic Mauro, Tim Robinson, Daniel Harrison and Terence Seuseu join the bench. ]
ROOSTERS v STORM
SYD: Minichiello, Perrett, J Carney, Leilua, Graham, Anasta (c), Pearce, Ryles, Friend, Tasi, Guerra, Cordner, Nu'uausala. Bench: Mitchell, Masoe, Takairangi, Arona, Waerea-Hargreaves.
[Team Changes - The Roosters have named Sam Perrett to return from an ankle injury and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to return from suspension, while Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Groin) is the only omission from the team that beat the Eels in golden point. Frank-Paul Nu'uausala is named at lock, while Waerea-Hargreaves comes back on the bench. Joseph Leilua replaces Kenny-Dowall in the centres. ]
MEL: Slater, Duffie, Nielsen, Champion, Quinn, Widdop, Cronk, Bromwich, Smith (c), Norrie, Proctor, Hinchcliffe, Lowrie. Bench: Kostjasyn, Vea, Woolnough, Lowe.
[Team Changes - The Storm have accepted bans for Sika Manu and Sisa Waqa for their involvement in the Donnybrook Oval incident, and Adam Blair could have played his last game for the club as he is facing 2 sets of suspensions. Cooper Cronk and Jesse Bromwich return from injury while, Atelea Vea is the new face on the bench. Maurice Blair may not be risked until the semi finals. ]
ROUND 26 BYES - NONE All done for 2011.
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