NRL: Burgess returns, Thompson starts & Gildart retains his place
Tom Burgess in action for South Sydney Rabbitohs
England international Tom Burgess will return for the Rabbitohs for their clash with the Warriors in the NRL’s Magic Round this week.
Bulldogs v Knights | Friday | 9am | Sky Sports Arena & Watch NRL
Luke Thompson again starts at prop for the Bulldogs.
The Knights are boosted by the impending returns of Mitchell Barnett and Adam Clune who are named at second row and scrum-half retrospectively. Dom Young, who is eligible to represent England or Jamaica, starts on the wing for the Knights.
Bulldogs: Dufty; Naden, Averillo, Schoupp, Addo-Carr; Burton, Flanagan; L Thompson, Marshall-King, Vaughan, Waddell, Pangai Jr, Jackson. Subs: Biondi-Odo, Stimson, M King, Patolo.
Knights: Ponga; Lee, Tuala, Best, Young; Hoy, Clune; Klemmer, Randall, D Saifiti, Barnett, Fitzgibbon, L Thompson. Subs: Crossland, J Saifiti, Saulo, M Croker.
BRITS DOWN UNDER: Gildart gets first NRL try & Young, Whitehead score
Sea Eagles v Broncos | Friday | 11:05am | Sky Sports Arena & Watch NRL
After a breakout performance last week, Ben Trbojevic again starts at centre for Manly and gets another chance to play alongside brothers Tom and Jake.
Payne Haas and Kurt Capewell make their returns to the Brisbane starting line-up and bolster their forward unit.
Sea Eagles: T Trbojevic; Tuipulotu, B Trbojevic, Koula, Garrick; Foran, Cherry-Evans; Aloiai, L Croker, Keppie, Olakau’atu, Bullemor, J Trbojevic. Subs: D Walker, Davey, Taupau, Sipley.
Broncos: T M Martin; Oates, Staggs, Farnworth, Cobbo; Gamble, Reynolds; Jensen, Walters, Haas, Capewell, Riki, Carrigan. Subs: Paix, K Hetherington, Flegler, Palasia.
Warriors v Rabbitohs | Saturday | 6am | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Arena & Watch NRL)
A huge positive for the Warriors as Tohu Harris is back in the squad after recovering from an ACL injury suffered towards the end of last season.
No Cameron Murray for the Rabbitohs due to neck and shoulder issues so Jacob Host is back in the second row while Jai Arrow fills in at loose forward. Tom Burgess is back at prop after missing out last week due to a back injury.
Warriors: Walsh; Watene-Zelezniak, Vailea, Pompey, Montoya; Asi, Johnson; Fonua-Blake, Egan, Lodge, Aitken, Harris, Tevaga. Subs: Pene, Murdoch-Masila, Afoa, Murchie.
Rabbitohs: Taaffe; Johnston, J Paulo, C Graham, Milne; C Walker, Ilias; Tatola, Cook, T Burgess, Koloamatangi, Host, Arrow. Subs: Nikorima, Moale, Havili, Knight.
Titans v Dragons | Saturday | 8:30am | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Arena & Watch NRL
Jayden Campbell, son of the Preston Campbell, is back at full-back for Gold Coast so AJ Brimson switches to stand-off.
George Burgess has been included as the Dragons 18th man and could be used as a late replacement if needed.
Titans: Campbell; Sami, Kelly, Marsters, Isaako; Brimson, Sexton; Fotuaika, Clark, Wallace, Liu, Fermor, Fa’asuamaleaui. Subs: Boyd, Lisone, Ese’ese, McIntyre.
Dragons: Mbye; Feagai, Suli, Lomax, Ravalawa; Amone, B Hunt; Molo, McCullough, De Belin, Bird, McGuire, Sims. Subs: Sullivan, Lawrie, Woods, Fuimaono.
Storm v Panthers | Saturday | 10:45am | Sky Sports Arena & Watch NRL
A big loss for Melbourne sees star full-back Ryan Papenhuyzen set to miss the next four to six weeks with a PCL issue and a torn hamstring. The injury sees Nick Meaney move to full-back and Dean Ieremia come onto the wing.
Storm: Meaney; Ieremia, Seve, Olam, Coates; Munster, Hughes; J Bromwich, Grant, Asofa-Solomona, F Kaufusi, K Bromwich, J King. Subs: B Smith, Wishart, Loiero, Lewis.
Panthers: Edwards; May, Tago, S Crichton, To’o; Luai, Cleary; Leota, Koroisau, Fisher-Harris, Kikau, L Martin, Yeo. Subs: Kenny, Sorensen, Leniu, Salmon.
Sharks v Raiders | Sunday | 4:50am | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Arena & Watch NRL
Will Kennedy and Jesse Ramien (suspended) both miss out for the Sharks, so Hynes shifts to full-back, Braydon Trindall comes in at half-back. Connor Tracey is at centre.
Seb Kris starts at centre for Canberra with Jarrod Croker missing out due to a shoulder injury. Ryan Sutton will again come off the interchange.
Sharks: Hynes; S Katoa, Tracey, Talakai, Mulitalo; Moylan, Trindall; Rudolf, Brailey, Tolman, Nikora, Wilton, Finucane. Subs: McInnes, Williams, W Graham, R Hunt.
Raiders: Nicoll-Klokstad; Cotric, Timoko, Kris, Rapana; Frawley, Schneider; Papalii, Elliott, Tapine, Young, Whitehead, Harawira-Naera. Subs: Starling, Sutton, Savage, Horsburgh.
Roosters v Eels | Sunday | 7:05am | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Arena & Watch NRL
Connor Watson returns from a throat injury at hooker as Sam Verrils is out with a collarbone injury.
Roosters: Tedesco; Tupou, Momirovski, Manu, Suaalii; S Walker, Keary; Waerea-Hargreaves, Watson, Taukeiaho, A Crichton, Tupouniua, Radley. Subs: Hutchison, Baker, Butcher, Suluka-Fifita.
Eels: Gutherson; Perham, Penisini, Opacic, Simonsson; D Brown, Moses; Campbell-Gillard, Mahoney, J Paulo, Lane, Papali’I, N Brown. Subs: Makatoa, Matterson, O Kaufusi, Cartwright.
Tigers v Cowboys | Sunday | 9: 25am | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Arena & Watch NRL)
Both Jackson Hastings and Oliver Gildart retain their places in the Tigers squad and start at half-back and centre respectively.
DILEMMA: How Jackson Hastings’ England hopes could be threatened by State of Origin
Tigers: To’a; Kepaoa, Gildart, Garner, Maumalo; Brooks, Hastings; Tamou, Simpkin, Musgrove, Tuilagi, Leilua, Ofahengaue. Subs: Peachey, Twal, Seyfarth, Utoikamanu.
Cowboys: Drinkwater; Feldt, Holmes, Hiku, Taulagi; Dearden, Townsend; McLean, Robson, Cotter, Gilbert, Nanai, Taumalolo. Subs: Tabuai-Fidow, Luki, Hess, Neame.
PODCAST: Kallum Watkins on playing in the pack, time in NRL & World Cup ambitions
