NRL Round 2 squad announcements

Eels: Waqa Blake is out for the Eels with Marata Niukore (No.17) to start in the centres. Keegan Hipgrave also moves from the reserves list onto the interchange bench. Blake and Haze Dunster were the two players left out 60 minutes before kick-off.

Ray Stone has recovered from a knee injury and will play NSW Cup for Wentworthville after being cut from Brad Arthur's 21-man squad on Wednesday along with Joey Lussick.

The Eels have lost five of their past six games against the Storm.

Storm: Craig Bellamy's side will start 1-17 after Nicho Hynes and Darryn Schonig were the two players left out an hour before kick-off.

Premiership-winning centre Brenko Lee remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Harry Grant (knee) and Dale Finucane (calf) are still a few weeks away. Co-captain Jesse Bromwich will make his 250th NRL appearance.

Cooper Johns and Dean Ieremia were cut from the squad 24 hours before kick-off.

Warriors v Knights, Friday 6pm at Central Coast Stadium

Warriors: The Warriors are 1-17, with Wayde Egan and Bayley Sironen both cleared to play after picking up head knocks last week.

Centre Euan Aitken had surgery this week for a high-ankle sprain and looks set to be sidelined for 8-10 weeks. His place is taken by Adam Pompey.

Jack Murchie has been named among the reserves as he continues to work his way back from a pectoral injury. The Warriors are hoping to start with back-to-back wins for only the fourth time in their history.

Sean O'Sullivan and Jack Murchie were trimmed from the reserves on game day after Marcelo Montoya and Tom Ale were omitted 24 hours before the match.

Knights: Kurt Mann is out for the Knights, with Phoenix Crossland (No.18) to start at five-eighth.

Connor Watson has overcome an ankle concern but will come off the bench as he did last week, with Sauaso Sue to start at lock.

Mann and Dominic Young were the two players left out on the eve of the match while Pasami Saulo and Gehamat Shibasaki were omitted an hour before kick-off.

Prop David Klemmer has a 70% winning record against the Warriors.

Titans v Broncos, Friday 8.05pm at Cbus Super Stadium

Titans: The Titans are 1-17 as named. Phillip Sami has got a reprieve after being left out of the side last week, called up to replace centre Brian Kelly (fractured hand).

Star second-rower David Fifita overcame an ankle infection and two days in hospital to play 71 minutes in round one and still make 13 runs so he'll be more dangerous this week with an uninterrupted preparation. The Titans have won four of their past six games against the Broncos.

Herman Ese'ese and Sam McIntyre were omitted 24 hours before the match. Beau Fermor and Tanah Boyd were cut an hour before game time.

Broncos: The Broncos are 1-17 with Tom Dearden and Richard Kennar cut an hour before kick-off.

Tests cleared Xavier Coates (neck) and John Asiata (neck/shoulder) of any serious damage and both will play.

Prop Matt Lodge is expected to miss 2-3 weeks after scans confirmed a low-grade hamstring injury. His starting place is taken by Thomas Flegler. The new man on the bench is Rhys Kennedy.

The Broncos have won five of their past six games at Cbus Super Stadium.

Cory Paix and Corey Oates were left out on the eve of the match.

Bulldogs v Panthers, Saturday 3.00pm at Bankwest Stadium

Bulldogs: The Bulldogs are 1-17 as named. Hooker Jeremy Marshall-King is back from a foot injury and has taken Brad Deitz's spot on the bench. Raymond Faitala-Mariner has been promoted to the starting side and Corey Waddell has gone to the bench.

Tuipulotu Katoa and Chris Smith were omitted from the squad 24 hours out from kick-off. Lachlan Lewis and Joe Stimson were cut an hour before game time.

The Bulldogs suffered their biggest loss in 12 years when these teams last met.

Panthers: Hooker Api Koroisau has had surgery on a broken wrist suffered in round one and is expected to miss at least six weeks. Mitch Kenny comes into the starting side in jersey 21 to replace Koroisau.

Stephen Crichton was restricted to light duties at training on Tuesday due to a cork but is also likely to take his place.

Former Shark Scott Sorensen made his return from a hamstring injury in NSW Cup against the Knights and was named among the reserves but dropped out an hour before kick-off. 

Matt Burton and Robert Jennings were trimmed from the reserves on Friday.

The Panthers have won five of their past seven games against the Bulldogs.

Sea Eagles v Rabbitohs, Saturday 5.30pm at Lottoland

Sea Eagles: A late change for Des Hasler with Taniela Paseka coming into the starting side and Josh Aloiai reverting to the bench.

Kieran Foran picked up a cork in the loss to the Roosters but the five-eighth has been cleared to take his place, though at least a month-long lay-off for Curtis Sironen (knee) brings Jack Gosiewski back into the run-on side and Josh Schuster onto the bench.

Sironen and Morgan Harper were the two players to drop out of the squad on Friday while Tevita Funa and Toafofoa Sipley were cut an hour before kick-off.

Cade Cust, who scored three tries for Blacktown in NSW Cup, is back in the team while Sean Keppie bumps Morgan Boyle out of the 21-man squad.

Gun fullback Tom Trbojevic is at least a fortnight away with his hamstring injury so the experiment with Dylan Walker in the No.1 jersey appears set to continue.

The Sea Eagles have lost nine of their past 10 games.

Rabbitohs: The Rabbitohs are 1-17. Middle forward Liam Knight, having resumed contact training, has been ruled out again after missing the Storm game as his concussion recovery continues. Off-season recruit Josh Mansour was the other man to drop out of the 21-man squad on Friday.

Another recruit Jacob Host dropped out of the 17 after the first-up loss and his place is taken by Keaon Koloamatangi in the starting side. Patrick Mago is the new face on the bench.

Host and Tautau Moga were the last two players cut an hour before kick-off.

Wayne Bennett has declared prop Tom Burgess will be good to go after his neck injury last weekend against Melbourne. Burgess trained on Thursday and Bennett said he would be right to take his place against Manly.

Winger Alex Johnston has scored 11 tries in his past six NRL games.

Cowboys v Dragons, Saturday 7.35pm at Queensland Country Bank Stadium

Cowboys: Lachlan Burr replaces Taumalolo (broken hand) this week for his North Queensland debut, having followed coach Todd Payten to Townsville from the Warriors. Reuben Cotter starts at lock with Burr joining the interchange.

Shane Wright and Ben Hampton are the final cuts one hour from kickoff. Taumalolo and Murray Taulagi were the players omitted from the squad 24 hours out.

Val Holmes had little impact on the wing but remains there in round two with Scott Drinkwater staying at fullback.

Dragons: The visitors will start 1-17 with Kaide Ellis and Jackson Ford the final omissions.

Winger Cody Ramsey limped off with an ankle injury against Cronulla but will face the Cowboys after getting through the captain's run in Townsville on Friday with no issue.

No other injury worries but plenty for new coach Anthony Griffin to ponder with a shortage of points and some worrying defensive lapses.

Corey Norman is back in the team after a one-match suspension. The rest of the 17 remains the same.

Adam Clune and Jordan Pereira were the players to make way on Friday night.

The Dragons won only three from 10 away from home in 2020.

Wests Tigers v Roosters, Sunday 4.05pm at Campbelltown Stadium

Wests Tigers: Speedster James Roberts is out of the match with a shoulder issue and his place is taken by Tommy Talau, with Michael Chee Kam joining the bench.

Adam Doueihi returns from the shoulder charge suspension he incurred in the final game of 2020 and will slot in at five-eighth with Moses Mbye bumped to the bench and youngster Daine Laurie retaining the fullback job. 

Russell Packer and Alex Seyfarth were omitted from the squad on game day after Roberts and Jock Madden dropped out of the squad 24 hours before kick-off.

Wests Tigers have not defeated the Roosters at Campbelltown since 2003.

Roosters: The Roosters are 1-17, with Sam Walker and Egan Butcher dropping off the extended bench on game day.

Hooker Jake Friend suffered a concussion early in the second half against Manly and has been replaced by Freddy Lussick, while Drew Hutchison replaces Adam Keighran (dislocated wrist) on the bench.

Back-rower Angus Crichton has accepted a one-match ban for a crusher tackle. His absence means Nat Butcher has been promoted to the starting side and debutant Fletcher Baker has won a bench spot alongside Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Daniel Suluka-Fifita.

Matt Ikuvalu and Tukupa-Ke Hau Tapuha were cut from the squad on Saturday.

The Roosters have won 14 of their past 15 games against Wests Tigers.

Sharks v Raiders, Sunday 6.15pm at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium

Sharks: Centre Jesse Ramien took the early guilty plea for a reckless high tackle on Dragon Matt Dufty and will miss three games. With Cronulla's centre depth already tested by the injury to back-up Jackson Ferris (broken foot) coach John Morris has gone with Mawene Hiroti as Ramien's replacement.

Forwards Royce Hunt (knee) and Siosifa Talakai (shoulder) must wait at least another week to return from injury.

Nene Macdonald and Teig Wilton were trimmed from the game-day squad an hour before kick-off after Andrew Fifita and Braydon Trindall were omitted on Saturday.

Captain Wade Graham will achieve the milestone of 250 NRL games.

Raiders: Coach Ricky Stuart has stuck with the same 17 after the staff elected against bringing back co-captain Jarrod Croker, giving rookie Sebastian Kris at least another week in the line-up.

Croker's shoulder is fine after off-season surgery, but Stuart is focused on the centre getting more conditioning under his belt. Rising star rake Tom Starling remains stuck behind Josh Hodgson and Siliva Havili in the reserves.

Sam Williams and Harley Smith-Shields were omitted from the reserves on game day after Tom Starling and Emre Guler dropped out of the squad 24 hours before kickoff.

The Raiders have won their past four games against the Sharks.