Teams have been announced for Round 2 of the NRL season, highlighted by the return of marquee stars Cameron Munster and Latrell Mitchell for Thursday night’s AAMI Park showdown between Melbourne and South Sydney.
Several teams have been forced to shuffle their line-ups after injuries and head knocks sent many players to the sidelines in last week’s season opening matches.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy will become just the fourth coach in premiership history to oversee 500 games when he looks to get the better of the Bunnies to continue his team’s winning start to 2022.
Maroons hooker Harry Grant and utility forward Chris Lewis are also available for the Storm after serving suspensions in Round 1 along with Warriors duo Matt Lodge and Reece Walsh, and Eels forward Marata Niukore, while Adam Reynolds will make his first appearance for the Broncos after sitting out last week’s win over Souths due to COVID protocols.
Thursday
Storm v Rabbitohs at AAMI Park, 8.05pm
Storm: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Dean Ieremia 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. Kenneath Bromwich 13. Josh King 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Trent Loiero 17. Tepai Moeroa 18. Chris Lewis 19. Nick Meaney 20. Bronson Garlick 21. Jayden Nikorima 22. Jonah Pezet 23. Jack Howarth 24. William Warbrick
Rabbitohs: 1. Latrell Mitchell 2. Alex Johnston 3. Jaxson Paulo 4. Campbell Graham 5. Taane Milne 6. Cody Walker 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Damien Cook 10. Mark Nicholls 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Jai Arrow 13. Cameron Murray 14. Jacob Host 15. Siliva Havili 16. Thomas Burgess 17. Michael Chee Kam 18. Davvy Moale 19. Josh Mansour 20. Liam Knight 21. Richard Kennar 22. Peter Mamouzelos 23. Isaiah Tass 24. Dean Hawkins
Friday
Dragons v Panthers at Netstrata Jublee Stadium, 6pm
Dragons: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Cody Ramsey 3. Moses Suli 4. Zac Lomax 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Talatau Amone 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Jack Bird 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Moses Mbye 15. Josh Kerr 16. Jack Gosiewski 17. George Burgess 18. Jackson Ford 19. Andrew McCullough 20. Tariq Sims 21. Mathew Feagai 22. Daniel Alvaro 23. Poasa Faamausili 24. Tautau Moga 25. Jaiyden Hunt
Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Charlie Staines 3. Izack Tago 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Sean O’Sullivan 8. Spencer Leniu 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Mitch Kenny 15. Scott Sorensen 16. Matthew Eisenhuth 17. Jaeman Salmon 18. J’maine Hopgood 19. Chris Smith 20. Robert Jennings 21. Taylan May 22. Lindsay Smith 23. Soni Luke 24. Kurt Falls
Roosters v Sea Eagles at SCG, 8.05pm
Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Billy Smith 4. Joseph Manu 5. Paul Momirovski 6. Sam Walker 7. Luke Keary 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Connor Watson 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. Kevin Naiqama 19. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 20. Lachlan Lam 21. Naufahu Whyte 22. Adam Keighran 23. Renouf Atoni 24. Ben Marschke
Sea Eagles: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jason Saab 3. Brad Parker 4. Morgan Harper 5. Reuben Garrick 6. Kieran Foran 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Toafofoa Sipley 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Martin Taupau 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Ethan Bullemor 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Dylan Walker 15. Karl Lawton 16. Sean Keppie 17. Taniela Paseka 18. Morgan Boyle 19. Andrew Davey 20. Tolutau Koula 21. Jorge Taufua 22. Alec Tuitavake 23. Christian Tuipulotu 24. James Roumanos
Saturday
Titans v Warriors at Cbus Super Stadium, 2pm (3pm AEDT)
Titans: 1. Jayden Campbell 2. Phillip Sami 3. Brian Kelly 4. Patrick Herbert 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Alexander 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. Kevin Proctor 18. Jarrod Wallace 19. Tanah Boyd 20. Herman Ese’ese 21. Esan Marsters 22. Sam McIntyre 23. Paul Turner 24. Sosefo Fifita
Warriors: Reece Walsh and Matt Lodge make their return from suspensions while there is a new-look halves pairing after Kodi Nikorima has been dropped and Shaun Johnson has been sidelined with a pectoral injury.
Chanel Harris-Tavita has switched to five-eighth after filling in at fullback for Walsh in last Saturday’s loss to St George Illawarra while former Titans playmaker Ash Taylor has been selected to make his club debut at halfback. Utility back Jesse Arthars, who switched to the club from Brisbane in the off-season, will also play his first match as a Warrior, lining up in the centres to replace Viliami Vailea (knee). Adam Pompey has been elevated to the wing for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who is out with a broken thumb.
1. Reece Walsh 2. Adam Pompey 3. Jesse Arthars 4. Rocco Berry 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Ash Taylor 8. Addin Fonua-Blake (c) 9. Wayde Egan 10. Matt Lodge 11. Euan Aitken 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Josh Curran. Interchange: 14. Jazz Tevaga 15. Bunty Afoa 16. Aaron Pene 17. Bayley Sironen 18. Kodi Nikorima 20. Ben Murdoch-Masila 21. Jack Murchie 22. Pride Petterson-Robati 23. Taniela Otukolo 24. Junior Ratuva 25. Edward Kosi
Sharks v Eels at PointsBet Stadium, 5.30pm
Sharks: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Ronaldo Mulitalo 5. Matt Ikuvalu 6. Matt Moylan 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Braden Hamlin-Uele 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Dale Finucane 14. Aiden Tolman 15. Siosifa Talakai 16. Royce Hunt 17. Andrew Fifita 18. Luke Metcalf 19. Cameron McInnes 20. Connor Tracey 21. Jenson Taumoepeau 22. Lachlan Miller 23. Jayden Berrell 24. Franklin Pele
Eels: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Waqa Blake 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. Oregon Kaufusi 14. Makahesi Makatoa 15. Bryce Cartwright 16. Ray Stone 17. Nathan Brown 18. Jakob Arthur 19. Mitch Rein 20. Ky Rodwell 21. Hayze Perham 22. Wiremu Greig 23. Solomone Naiduki 24. Samuel Loizou
Cowboys v Raiders at QCB Stadium, 6.35pm (7.35pm AEDT)
Cowboys: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 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. Tom Gilbert 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Jason Taumalolo 14. Jake Granville 15. Heilum Luki 16. Mitchell Dunn 17. Griffin Neame 18. Reuben Cotter 19. Scott Drinkwater 20. Connelly Lemuelu 21. Brendan Elliot 22. Ben Condon 23. Emry Pere 24. Daejarn Asi
Raiders: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Nick Cotric 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Semi Valemei 5. James Schiller 6. Jack Wighton 7. Matt Frawley 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Tom Starling 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Corey Harawira-Naera 13. Elliott Whitehead 14. Adrian Trevilyan 15. Emre Guler 16. Adam Elliott 17. Corey Horsburgh 18. Xavier Savage 19. Sebastian Kris 20. Sam Williams 21. Ryan Sutton 22. Peter Hola 23. Trey Mooney 24. Harry Rushton
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Sunday
Knights v Tigers at McDonald Jones Stadium, 4.05pm
Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Enari Tuala 6. Jake Clifford 7. Adam Clune 8. David Klemmer 9. Chris Randall 10. Jacob Saifiti 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 13. Kurt Mann 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Mitchell Barnett 16. Leo Thompson 17. Jirah Momoisea 18. Mathew Croker 19. Pasami Saulo 20. Tex Hoy 21. Simi Sasagi 22. Brayden Musgrove 23. Dylan Lucas 24. Daniel Saifiti
Tigers: 1. Daine Laurie 2. David Nofoaluma 3. James Roberts 4. Oliver Gildart 5. Ken Maumalo 6. Jackson Hastings 7. Luke Brooks 8. James Tamou 9. Jake Simpkin 10. Stefano Utoikamanu 11. Kelma Tuilagi 12. Luciano Leilua 13. Joe Ofahengaue 14. Tyrone Peachey 15. Alex Twal 16. Zane Musgrove 17. Alex Seyfarth 18. Thomas Mikaele 19. Luke Garner 20. Starford To’a 21. Tukimihia Simpkins 22. Jock Madden 23. Austin Dias 24. Jacob Liddle
Bulldogs v Broncos at Accor Stadium, 6.15pm
Bulldogs: 1. Matt Dufty 2. Jayden Okunbor 3. Braidon Burns 4. Brent Naden 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Matt Burton 7. Jake Averillo 8. Luke Thompson 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Paul Vaughan 11. Jack Hetherington 12. Tevita Pangai jnr 13. Josh Jackson 14. Bailey Biondi-Odo 15. Corey Waddell 16. Max King 17. Ava Seumanufagai 19. Chris Patolo 20. Brandon Wakeham 21. Joe Stimson 22. Kyle Flanagan 23. Reece Hoffman 24. Josh Cook 25. Aaron Schoupp
Broncos: 1. Tesi Niu 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Selwyn Cobbo 6. Albert Kelly 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Keenan Palasia 9. Jake Turpin 10. Payne Haas 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan 14. Ryan James 15. Kobe Hetherington 16. TC Robati 17. Billy Walters 18. Brenko Lee 19. Rhys Kennedy 20. Corey Jensen 21. Jordan Pereira 22. Cory Paix 23. Jamayne Isaako 24. Tyson Gamble