Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has named Xavier Savage in his starting side for Sunday’s clash with reigning premiers the Panthers in an extraordinary backflip ahead of round seven, while also shifting Jordan Rapana to fullback.
The backline rejig has seen Stuart demote fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to the No.14 jumper as he searches for the Raiders’ third win of the season.
Stuart’s decision to pick Savage in the starting side – he’ll play on a wing – comes after he blasted critics in his most recent post-match press conference for calling for the young speedster to have a starting position.
READ MORE: Former Aussie cricket star in coma after heart attack
READ MORE: Gallen taking ‘big risk’ as title fight confirmed
READ MORE: Geelong weapon’s dive sparks major controversy
After the Raiders coughed up a 12-0 lead in an 18-12 defeat to the Cowboys, Stuart argued that one play from Savage proved he was not ready for first-grade football.
Savage ran too close to the sideline and was tackled into touch, leading to Stuart slamming critics for just wanting X-factor and not taking into account experience.
Rapana has scarce NRL experience at fullback and has played the vast majority of his top-grade games on a wing, but there’s no denying the enormous attacking threat of the veteran New Zealander.
THURSDAY
Cronulla Sharks vs Manly Sea Eagles at PointsBet Stadium, 7.50pm
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Sharks: 1. Will Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Matt Moylan 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Aiden Tolman 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Braydon Trindall 15. Jack Williams 16. Royce Hunt 17. Andrew Fifita 18. Lachlan Miller 19. Mawene Hiroti 20. Matt Ikuvalu 21. Jesse Colquhoun 22. Kayal Iro 23. Thomas Hazelton 24. Franklin Pele
Analysis: The Sharks will be without inspirational captain Dale Finucane, who suffered a concussion in round six.
Sea Eagles: 1. Reuben Garrick 2. Jason Saab 3. Brad Parker 4. Morgan Harper 5. Christian Tuipulotu 6. Kieran Foran 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Toafofoa Sipley 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Taniela Paseka 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Andrew Davey 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Dylan Walker 15. Karl Lawton 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Kurt De Luis 18. Ben Trbojevic 19. Tolutau Koula 20. Jorge Taufua 21. Kaeo Weekes 22. James Roumanos 23. Viliami Fifita 24. Jacob Sykes
Analysis: Morgan Harper is back in Manly’s side after time out due to COVID-19.
Wighton’s grim admission after loss
FRIDAY
Brisbane Broncos vs Canterbury Bulldogs at Suncorp Stadium, 7.55pm
Referee: Ben Cummins
Broncos: 1. Te Maire Martin 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Selwyn Cobbo 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Corey Jensen 9. Cory Paix 10. Payne Haas 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Jordan Riki 13. Kobe Hetherington 14. Billy Walters 15. Rhys Kennedy 16. Thomas Flegler 17. Keenan Palasia 18. Delouise Hoeter 19. Jordan Pereira 20. TC Robati 21. Brenko Lee 22. Ezra Mam 23. Ethan Quai-Ward 24. Logan Bayliss-Brow
Analysis: Te Maire Martin is set to play his first NRL game since 2019, replacing the injured Tesi Niu.
Bulldogs: 1. Matt Dufty 2. Brent Naden 3. Aaron Schoupp 4. Jake Averillo 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Matt Burton 7. Kyle Flanagan 8. Luke Thompson 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Paul Vaughan 11. Corey Waddell 12. Tevita Pangai Junior 13. Josh Jackson 14. Brandon Wakeham 15. Joe Stimson 16. Max King 17. Ava Seumanufagai 19. Bailey Biondi-Odo 20. Jackson Topine 21. Reece Hoffman 22. Jayden Okunbor 23. Corey Allan 24. Josh Cook 25. Tuipulotu Katoa
Gould’s pointed advice to Ponga amid contract chaos
SATURDAY
North Queensland Cowboys vs Gold Coast Titans at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, 5.30pm
Referee: Peter Gough
Cowboys: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Peta Hiku 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Coen Hess 11. Heilum Luki 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Jason Taumalolo 14. Jake Granville 15. Tom Gilbert 16. Reuben Cotter 17. Griffin Neame 18. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown 19. Brendan Elliot 20. Riley Price 21. Jordan Lipp 22. Emry Pere 23. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 24. Tomas Chester
Analysis: Speed demon Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is an outside chance of returning from injury after being named in an extended squad.
Titans: 1. Jamayne Isaako 2. Phillip Sami 3. Brian Kelly 4. Patrick Herbert 5. Greg Marzhew 6. AJ Brimson 7. Toby Sexton 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Erin Clark 10. Isaac Liu 11. David Fifita 12. Beau Fermor 13. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 14. Will Smith 15. Sam Lisone 16. Jaimin Jolliffe 17. Jarrod Wallace 18. Paul Turner 19. Kevin Proctor 20. Sam McIntyre 21. Tanah Boyd 22. Sosefo Fifita 23. Corey Thompson 24. Jayden Campbell
Eels ‘vulnerable’ to folding against a minnow: Gould
Wests Tigers vs South Sydney Rabbitohs at Commbank Stadium, 7.30pm
Referee: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
Tigers: 1. Daine Laurie 2. David Nofoaluma 3. James Roberts 4. Starford To’a 5. Ken Maumalo 6. Luke Brooks 7. Jackson Hastings 8. James Tamou 9. Jake Simpkin 10. Zane Musgrove 11. Kelma Tuilagi 12. Luciano Leilua 13. Joe Ofahengaue 14. Jock Madden 15. Alex Twal 16. Thomas Mikaele 17. Luke Garner 18. Alex Seyfarth 19. Jacob Liddle 20. Oliver Gildart 21. Tyrone Peachey 22. Tukimihia Simpkins 23. Austin Dias 24. Junior Tupou
Rabbitohs: 1. Blake Taaffe 2. Alex Johnston 3. Taane Milne 4. Campbell Graham 5. Josh Mansour 6. Cody Walker 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Damien Cook 10. Hame Sele 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Jai Arrow 13. Cameron Murray 14. Thomas Burgess 15. Jacob Host 16. Davvy Moale 17. Liam Knight 18. Siliva Havili 19. Isaiah Tass 20. Peter Mamouzelos 21. Richard Kennar 22. Dean Hawkins 23. Terrell Kalo Kalo 24. Jaxson Paulo
Stream the NRL premiership 2022 live and free on 9Now.
SUNDAY
Newcastle Knights vs Parramatta Eels at McDonald Jones Stadium, 2pm
Referee: Ashley Klein
Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Edrick Lee 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Enari Tuala 6. Jake Clifford 7. Adam Clune 8. David Klemmer 9. Chris Randall 10. Daniel Saifiti 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Brodie Jones 13. Kurt Mann 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Jacob Saifiti 16. Leo Thompson 17. Sauaso Sue 18. Simi Sasagi 19. Pasami Saulo 20. Tex Hoy 21. Hymel Hunt 22. Jack Johns 23. Dylan Lucas 24. Jaron Purcell
Analysis: Adam Clune is back at halfback after injury forced his withdrawal from round six.
Eels: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Hayze Perham 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Tom Opacic 5. Bailey Simonsson 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Isaiah Papali’i 13. Nathan Brown 14. Makahesi Makatoa 15. Ryan Matterson 16. Oregon Kaufusi 17. Jakob Arthur 18. Bryce Cartwright 19. Mitch Rein 20. Wiremu Greig 21. Ky Rodwell 22. Samuel Loizou 23. Elie El Zakhem 24. Zac Cini
Analysis: Junior Paulo will slot back into the front row after a suspension wiped him from round six.
Penrith Panthers vs Canberra Raiders at BlueBet Stadium, 4.05pm
Referee: Grant Atkins
Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Charlie Staines 3. Izack Tago 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Taylan May 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Matt Eisenhuth 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Mitch Kenny 15. Scott Sorensen 16. Spencer Leniu 17. Jaeman Salmon 18. Robert Jennings 19. Chris Smith 20. J’maine Hopgood 21. Lindsay Smith 22. Soni Luke 23. Christian Crichton 24. Sean O’Sullivan
Raiders: 1. Jordan Rapana 2. Nick Cotric 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Semi Valemei 5. Xavier Savage 6. Jack Wighton 7. Brad Schneider 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Tom Starling 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Corey Harawira-Naera 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Ryan Sutton 14. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 15. Harry Rushton 16. Adam Elliott 17. Corey Horsburgh 18. Hudson Young 19. Matt Frawley 20. Jarrod Croker 21. Emre Guler 22. Trey Mooney 23. James Schiller 24. Peter Hola
MONDAY
St George Illawarra Dragons vs Sydney Roosters at SCG, 4pm
Referee: Adam Gee
Dragons: 1. Moses Mbye 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Zac Lomax 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Jack Bird 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Josh Kerr 11. Tariq Sims 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Talatau Amone 15. Blake Lawrie 16. Josh Mcguire 17. George Burgess 18. Tautau Moga 19. Jackson Ford 20. Aaron Woods 21. Tyrell Sloan 22. Cody Ramsey 23. Tyrell Fuimaono 24. Jayden Sullivan
Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Paul Momirovski 4. Joseph Manu 5. Joseph Suaalii 6. Sam Walker 7. Luke Keary 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Sam Verrills 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Angus Crichton 12. Sitili Tupouniua 13. Victor Radley 14. Drew Hutchison 15. Fletcher Baker 16. Nat Butcher 17. Siosiua Taukeiaho 18. Lachlan Lam 19. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 20. Kevin Naiqama 21. Naufahu Whyte 22. Adam Keighran 23. Renouf Atoni 24. Ben Marschke
Melbourne Storm vs Warriors at AAMI Park, 7pm
Referee: Chris Butler
Storm: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Nick Meaney 3. Reimis Smith 4. Justin Olam 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Harry Grant 10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Kenny Bromwich 13. Josh King 14. Brandon Smith 15. Tyran Wishart 16. Trent Loiero 17. Tepai Moeroa 18. Chris Lewis 19. Marion Seve 20. Alec MacDonald 21. Jordan Grant 22. Jack Howarth 23. Bronson Garlick 24. Cooper Johns
Analysis: The Bromwich brothers – Jesse and Kenneath – are back.
Warriors: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Jesse Arthars 4. Adam Pompey 5. Edward Kosi 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Matt Lodge 11. Euan Aitken 12. Bayley Sironen 13. Josh Curran 14. Kodi Nikorima 15. Bunty Afoa 16. Aaron Pene 17. Eliesa Katoa 18. Taniela Otukolo 20. Jazz Tevaga 21. Viliami Vailea 22. Rocco Berry 23. Valingi Kepu 24. Junior Ratuva 25. Garrett Smith
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
Every NRL clubs’ young guns to watch in 2022
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
