Sharks gun out as journeyman earns call up; Storm star chance for early return — Late Mail

Sharks backrower Teig Wilton has been ruled out with illness which sees journeyman Billy Burns come into the starting side for his first NRL game of the year.

Utility forward Hohepa Puru is now the 18th man, with Jesse Colquhon also remaining in the squad as cover for the clash against the Raiders.

Ricky Stuart’s side remain 1-17 with coach’s son Jed Stuart named 18th man for this must-win clash in Canberra.

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WAYNE REVEALS LATRELL PLAN

Souths coach Wayne Bennett has revealed that despite naming Latrell Mitchell in the centres for his return game from injury, the plan is for Mitchell to wear the Rabbitohs No. 1 this season.

Dally M leader Jye Gray will continue at fullback in Friday night’s grudge match against the Roosters even though Mitchell is fully fit, with Bennett explaining South Sydney’s injury crisis among the club’s outside backs as the reason why.

“Latrell is our fullback and he will be our fullback, there’s no doubt in my mind about that,” Bennett said.

“These guys have got to come back from their injuries and when they do he will move back to fullback.

“Three outside backs were all injured and putting Latrell in the centres was our best option from a team point of view.

“We know he can play there – he has played for NSW and Australia there. Jye did a really good job in the interim. It was pretty easy decision that way.

“I wouldn’t have put him there in if he wasn’t capable of doing it. He was happy to that because he realises it makes us stronger.

“He’s extremely team oriented.”

The Rabbitohs are missing star centre Campbell Graham and flyer Tyrone Munro through injury. Both players are set to return in two to three weeks.

Read on for all of the Round 5 Early Mail!

THURSDAY

Canberra Raiders vs. Cronulla Sharks at GIO Stadium, 8.00pm AEDT

Raiders team: 1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Savelio Tamale 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Tom Starling 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Matt Nicholson 13. Corey Horsburgh 14. Owen Pattie 15. Simi Sasagi 16. Morgan Smithies 17. Ata Mariota 18. Danny Levi 19. Jed Stuart

Players cut: 20. Pasami Saulo 21. Trey Mooney 22. Adam Cook

Early Mail: Just the usual cuts at the 24-hour mark.

Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy 2. Samuel Stonestreet 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Mawene Hiroti 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 22. Billy Burns 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Daniel Atkinson 15. Thomas Hazelton 16. Toby Rudolf 17. Tuku Hau Tapuha 20. Hohepa Puru 21. Jesse Colquhoun

Players cut: 12. Teig Wilton 18. Jayden Berrell 19. Chris Veaila

Early Mail: Backrower Teig Wilton has been ruled out with illness which sees Billy Burns come into the starting side for his first NRL game of the year. Utility forward Hohepa Puru is now the 18th man, with Jesse Colquhon also remaining in the squad as cover.

FRIDAY

Penrith Panthers vs. North Queensland Cowboys at CommBank Stadium, 6.00pm AEDT

Panthers team: 1. Daine Laurie 2. Paul Alamoti 3. Izack Tago 4. Thomas Jenkins 5. Casey McLean 6. Jack Cole 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. Lindsay Smith 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Brad Schneider 15. Matt Eisenhuth 16. Liam Henry 17. Luke Garner 18. Blaize Talagi 19. Mavrik Geyer 20. Luron Patea 21. Luke Sommerton 22. Jesse McLean

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Cowboys team: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Robert Derby 3. Jaxon Purdue 4. Viliami Vailea 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Jake Clifford 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. John Bateman 12. Kai O’Donnell 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Sam McIntyre 15. Jeremiah Nanai 16. Griffin Neame 17. Coen Hess 18. Harrison Edwards 19. Zac Laybutt 20. Thomas Duffy 21. Karl Lawton 22. Thomas Mikaele

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs. Sydney Roosters at Accor Stadium, 8.00pm AEDT

Rabbitohs team: 1. Jye Gray 2. Isaiah Tass 3. Latrell Mitchell 4. Jack Wighton 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Cody Walker 7. Jamie Humphreys 8. Sean Keppie 9. Peter Mamouzelos 10. Tevita Tatola 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Jai Arrow 13. Lachlan Hubner 14. Jayden Sullivan 15. Siliva Havili 16. Tallis Duncan 17. Davvy Moale 18. Liam Le Blanc 19. Fletcher Myers 20. Lewis Dodd 21. Salesi Ataata 22. Thomas Fletcher

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Roosters team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Mark Nawaqanitawase 4. Robert Toia 5. Dominic Young 6. Sandon Smith 7. Chad Townsend 8. Lindsay Collins 9. Connor Watson 10. Naufahu Whyte 11. Angus Crichton 12. Siua Wong 13. Nat Butcher 14. Zach Dockar-Clay 15. Salesi Foketi 16. Blake Steep 17. Spencer Leniu 18. Hugo Savala 19. Makahesi Makatoa 20. Ethan King 21. Billy Smith 22. Taylor Losalu

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

SATURDAY

Parramatta Eels vs. St George Illawarra Dragons at CommBank Stadium, 3.00pm AEDT

Eels team: 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Sean Russell 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Zac Lomax 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Dylan Brown 7. Dean Hawkins 8. Joe Ofahengaue 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. J’maine Hopgood 14. Dylan Walker 15. Luca Moretti 16. Sam Tuivaiti 17. Dan Keir 18. Joash Papali’i 19. Charlie Guymer 20. Bailey Simonsson 21. Brendan Hands 22. Ronald Volkman

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Dragons team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Tyrell Sloan 3. Moses Suli 4. Valentine Holmes 5. Christian Tuipulotu 6. Kyle Flanagan 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Toby Couchman 9. Damien Cook 10. David Klemmer 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Blake Lawrie 16. Hamish Stewart 17. Dylan Egan 18. Mathew Feagai 19. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 20. Sione Finau 21. Lyhkan King-Togia 22. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Gold Coast Titans vs. The Dolphins at Cbus Super Stadium, 5:30pm AEDT

Titans team: 1. Jaylan De Groot 2. Tony Francis 3. Brian Kelly 4. Phillip Sami 5. Jojo Fifita 6. AJ Brimson 7. Jayden Campbell 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Chris Randall 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 11. Klese Haas 12. Beau Fermor 13. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 14. Sean Mullany 15. David Fifita 16. Jaimin Jolliffe 17. Brock Gray 18. Arama Hau 19. Tom Weaver 20. Jacob Alick-Wiencke 21. Tukimihia Simpkins 22. Josiah Pahulu

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Dolphins team: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jack Bostock 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Felise Kaufusi 11. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 12. Connelly Lemuelu 13. Max Plath 14. Kurt Donoghoe 15. Mark Nicholls 16. Ray Stone 17. Kenny Bromwich 18. Sean O’Sullivan 19. Josh Kerr 20. Oryn Keeley 21. Max Feagai 22. Junior Tupou

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Brisbane Broncos vs. Wests Tigers at Suncorp Stadium, 7.35pm AEDT

Broncos team: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Selwyn Cobbo 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Jesse Arthars 6. Ben Hunt 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Patrick Carrigan 9. Cory Paix 10. Payne Haas 11. Jack Gosiewski 12. Brendan Piakura 13. Kobe Hetherington 14. Billy Walters 15. Corey Jensen 16. Xavier Willison 17. Jaiyden Hunt 18. Tyson Smoothy 19. Deine Mariner 20. Martin Taupau 21. Benjamin Te Kura 22. Jock Madden

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Tigers team: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Adam Doueihi 4. Starford To’a 5. Luke Laulilii 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Latu Fainu 8. Terrell May 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Fonua Pole 11. Samuela Fainu 12. Alex Seyfarth 13. Alex Twal 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Royce Hunt 16. Jack Bird 17. Sione Fainu 18. Heath Mason 19. Kit Laulilii 20. Solomona Faataape 21. Reuben Porter 22. Tony Sukkar

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

SUNDAY

Manly Sea Eagles vs. Melbourne Storm at 4 Pines Park, 4.05pm AEDT

Sea Eagles team: 1. Lehi Hopoate 2. Jason Saab 3. Tolutau Koula 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Clayton Faulalo 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Nathan Brown 9. Jazz Tevaga 10. Siosiua Taukeiaho 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Ben Trbojevic 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Jake Simpkin 15. Corey Waddell 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Toafofoa Sipley 18. Aaron Schoupp 19. Jakob Arthur 20. Dean Matterson 21. Caleb Navale 22. Gordon Chan Kum Tong

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.

Storm team: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. William Warbrick 3. Jack Howarth 4. Grant Anderson 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Tyran Wishart 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 14. Bronson Garlick 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Tui Kamikamica 17. Lazarus Vaalepu 18. Joe Chan 19. Kane Bradley 20. Sualauvi Faalogo 21. Moses Leo 22. Jahrome Hughes

Players cut:

Early Mail: The club has confirmed reigning Dally M Medal winner Jahrome Hughes is chance to make an early return from a fractured hand. The gun halfback missed last week’s shock loss to the Dragons but he’s now eyeing a comeback in just 15 days. “Jahrome has progressed quickly from his hand injury. Our medical staff came to us earlier this week and reported that he might be available for Sunday.“There’s still some work to do before that becomes reality. Jahrome will need to train with the squad over the next two days and then a selection decision will be made on Saturday morning.”

Canterbury Bulldogs vs. Newcastle Knights at Accor Stadium, 6.15pm AEDT

Bulldogs team: 1. Connor Tracey 2. Blake Wilson 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Bailey Hayward 7. Toby Sexton 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 11. Josh Curran 12. Jacob Preston 13. Jaeman Salmon 14. Kurt Mann 15. Harry Hayes 16. Jack Todd 17. Kurtis Morrin 19. Lipoi Hopoi 20. Blake Taaffe 21. Jake Turpin 22. Luke Smith 23. Jacob Kiraz

Players cut:

Early Mail: Bulldogs outside back Jacob Kiraz (back)will be given every chance to prove his fitness in time for Sunday night’s clash against the Knights. For the first time this year, he’s been named in the extended squad. If available, he likely replaces Blake Wilson on the wing. It’s a scary proposition for the Knights, who face an unbeaten Dogs side who in 2025, have so far been without one of their best players from last season.

Knights team: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. James Schiller 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Fletcher Sharpe 7. Jack Cogger 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Thomas Cant 12. Tyson Frizell 13. Adam Elliott 14. Jayden Brailey 15. Jack Hetherington 16. Jermaine McEwen 17. Mathew Croker 18. Brodie Jones 19. Kyle McCarthy 20. Matthew Arthur 21. Jackson Hastings 22. Tyrone Thompson

Players cut:

Early Mail: To come.