NRL Round 3 squad announcements

Panthers: Nathan Cleary is out due to the head knock he copped last Saturday from former teammate Dallin Watene-Zelezniak in the win over Canterbury. Playmaker Matt Burton has been elevated from the reserves list and will play halfback.

Api Koroisau (broken wrist) is expected to miss at least another five weeks. Mitch Kenny took Koroisau's place against the Bulldogs and punched out 80 minutes.

Scott Sorensen and Jaeman Salmon were omitted from the reserves an hour before kick-off after Cleary and J'maine Hopgood dropped out of the squad on Wednesday.

The Panthers have not defeated the Storm in Penrith since 2013.

Storm: A few late changes for Melbourne. Tui Kamikamica starts at lock with Nelson Asofa-Solomona to come off the bench. Darryn Schonig and Tyson Smoothy join the interchange with Aaron Pene and Cooper Johns dropping out. 

Fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen is out with a neck injury with Nicho Hynes promoted from the bench to take his spot.

Papenhuyzen and Dean Ieremia came out of the squad 24 hours before kick-off.

Centre Justin Olam has scored 12 tries in his past 12 games.

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Dragons v Sea Eagles, Friday 6.00pm at WIN Stadium

Dragons: The team will start 1-17 after Kaide Ellis and Jackson Ford were left out an hour before kick-off.

The only occupant of the Red V injury ward close to a return is halfback Jayden Sullivan, who is at least a week away with a hamstring injury.

Adam Clune and Jordan Pereira were omitted from the reserves list on Thursday night.

The Dragons have won five of their past six games against Manly.

Sea Eagles: Manly will start 1-13, with the only change coming on the bench, with Toafofoa Sipley (No.20) making the final 17. Morgan Boyle and Tevita Funa were the two players omitted an hour before kick-off.

Bench utility Cade Cust has passed his concussion protocols and will take his place against the Dragons.

Talented youngster Josh Schuster will replace back-rower Andrew Davey, who suffered a season-ending ruptured ACL in the loss to South Sydney. 

Manly's back-row stocks are low with Curtis Sironen (knee, round six) and Haumole Olakau'atu (elbow, indefinite) also unavailable for selection.

Superstar custodian Tom Trbojevic is nearing a return but is expected to miss at least one more week so the Dylan Walker experiment at fullback will continue despite Hasler contemplating a backline shake-up in the wake of the Rabbitohs loss.

The Sea Eagles have not won in Wollongong since 2003.

Rabbitohs v Roosters, Friday 8.05pm at Stadium Australia

Rabbitohs: There were no changes on match day with South Sydney's line-up confirmed 1-17 at the final cut-down. The men to miss out were Jacob Host and Steven Marsters. 

Coach Wayne Bennett had confirmed on Thursday that halfback Adam Reynolds would take his place in the blockbuster.

"He's done all his tests and protocols and he's good," Bennett said of his star playmaker.

Prop Junior Tatola is also good to go after overcoming a hamstring complaint.

Winger Josh Mansour has been recalled to the starting side to replace Jaxson Paulo, who has suffered two concussions in recent weeks and will be rested.

Middle forward Liam Knight resumed contact training last week after his own bout of concussion but is still not expected back until round four.

Tautau Moga and Troy Dargan were the players trimmed from the extended bench 24 hours before kick-off.

The Rabbitohs claimed their biggest ever win over the Roosters (60-8) when these teams last met.

Roosters: Interchange forward Nat Butcher failed to make the final 17 with last week's try-scoring debutant Fletcher Baker taking his place on the bench. Matt Ikuvalu is the other match-day omission.

Victor Radley's return from injury has been delayed due to a minor shoulder injury, with Drew Hutchison replacing him on the bench. Sam Walker was the other player to drop out of the playing squad on Thursday night.

Angus Crichton will return from a one-match suspension for a crusher tackle on the right edge.

Hooker and captain Jake Friend (concussion) is missing again this week while his understudy Sam Verrills (knee) is still a couple of weeks away from making his return from ACL surgery.

The Roosters have won their opening three games only once in the past 17 seasons.

Raiders v Warriors, Saturday 3.00pm at GIO Stadium

Raiders: In a series of changes made public an hour before the match, Ryan Sutton (No.15) will start at prop and Sebastian Kris (No.21) in the second row, after Hudson Young (No.11) and Caleb Aekins (No. 20) were the last two players omitted. 

Tom Starling will come off the bench.

A boost for the Green Machine with co-captain Jarrod Croker named to play his first game of the year after recovering from off-season shoulder surgery.

Coach Ricky Stuart was waiting for Croker to improve his conditioning after missing training due to off-season shoulder surgery.

Dunamis Lui and Sam Williams were the two players left out 24 hours before the match. 

The Raiders have won three of their past four games against the Warriors.

Warriors: In a series of positional changes announced an hour before kick-off, Jazz Tevaga (No.14) comes into the starting side at lock, Tohu Harris (No.13) moves into the second row and Bayley Sironen (No.12) will start on the interchange bench.

Tom Ale and Marcelo Montoya were the two players left out an hour before the match.

Sean O'Sullivan will come into the side at halfback to replace Chanel Harris-Tavita, who is set to spend up to 12 weeks out after scans revealed a stress fracture in his left foot. 

Bunty Afoa will start at prop in place of the suspended Jamayne Taunoa-Brown and Jack Murchie has been named to return from a pectoral injury on the bench. 

Kane Evans and Paul Turner were culled from the reserves when the team was reduced to 19 on Friday.

Prop Addin Fonua-Blake will make his 100th NRL appearance.

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Broncos v Bulldogs, Saturday 5.30pm at Suncorp Stadium

Broncos: Brodie Croft has retained the No.7 jersey but young halfback Tom Dearden has been recalled to the squad to be the bench utility with John Asiata rested due to a neck concern.

Coach Kevin Walters has backed his players to turn things around despite the fact Brisbane's record-breaking losing streak now stands at 13.

Forward leader Payne Haas will return from suspension next round while prop Matthew Lodge (hamstring) is at least a week or two away.

After Richie Kennar and Cory Paix were the two players left out 24 hours before the match, Asiata and Corey Oates were omitted an hour before kick-off..

The Broncos have won their past five games against the Bulldogs at Suncorp Stadium.

Bulldogs: There has been one change announced an hour before kick-off, with Dylan Napa moving into the starting side and Ofahiki Ogden now back on the bench.

Dean Britt and Lachlan Lewis were the two players left out an hour before kick-off.

Back-rower Raymond Faitala-Mariner (broken foot) has been lost for up to 20 weeks with Corey Waddell moving from the interchange into the starting line-up and Joe Stimson from the reserves last week to the bench.

Winger Tuipulotu Katoa will play his second NRL game as the replacement for suspended Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.

Hooker Sione Katoa has changed places with Jeremy Marshall-King, who made his comeback from injury last week via the bench. 

Centre Nick Cotric has scored five tries in his past four games against the Broncos.

Eels v Sharks, Saturday 7.35pm at Bankwest Stadium

Eels: In the only change to the 17, Ryan Matterson (concussion) will not play after his heavy head knock in the impressive win over Melbourne. 

Matterson is replaced in the starting back row by impressive off-season recruit Isaiah Papali'i. That brings Ray Stone, who makes his NRL return from a knee injury, onto the bench.

The Eels will be without centre Waqa Blake for at least a month after he suffered a calf injury at training last week while Bryce Cartwright (broken jaw) and Michael Oldfield (knee) are scheduled to return between rounds four and six. 

Haze Dunster and Joey Lussick were trimmed from the reserves list on game day after Jordan Rankin and David Hollis were left out 24 hours before the match.

Parramatta have a 76 per cent winning record at Bankwest Stadium.

Sharks: Utility Connor Tracey will step up from the interchange to replace centre Mawene Hiroti, who was subbed out for Tracey just after half-time in the loss to Canberra.

Hiroti, who stepped in for the suspended Jesse Ramien in round two, has slipped all the way out of the 17 with Teig Wilton promoted to take Tracey's place on the interchange.

It will be at least a month before we see Royce Hunt (knee) and Siosifa Talakai (shoulder) who have had their returns delayed after initially being expected back early in the season.

Ramien will return from suspension in round five while star half Shaun Johnson is due back in round seven or eight from an Achilles injury.

Hiroti and Andrew Fifita were cut from the reserves an hour before kick-off after Nene Macdonald and Braydon Trindall were the two players omitted on Friday night.

The Sharks have won six of their past eight games against the Eels.

Knights v Wests Tigers, Sunday 4.05pm at McDonald Jones Stadium

Knights: Englishman Dominic Young will make his NRL debut in the centres following Saturday's withdrawal of Bradman Best due to an elbow injury.

Young's promotion into the starting side sees Gehamat Shibasaki moved onto the wing and Starford To'a joining Pasami Saulo as the two players left out an hour before the match.

In another late reshuffle, Sauaso Sue will start at lock with Connor Watson on the interchange bench.

Five-eighth Kurt Mann (knee) is set to make a swift return after his late withdrawal from the side to play the Warriors.

His replacement Phoenix Crossland was suspended for a crusher tackle.

Newcastle's injury ward will begin to empty over the coming weeks with Edrick Lee (foot) expected back next week, Kalyn Ponga (shoulder) in round four or five, and veteran playmaker Blake Green (knee) somewhere between rounds five and eight.

As well as Best, Nathanael Sasagi was left out 24 hours before the match.

The Knights outscored Wests Tigers 86-28 across two clashes in 2020.

Wests Tigers: Michael Maguire's side will start 1-17 with Michael Chee-Kam and Russell Packer the two players left out an hour before kik-off.

Maguire confirmed after the loss to the Roosters that James Roberts (shoulder) would return and the centre has been named.

Joey Leilua is the man to make way, paying the price for an abject defensive display on the left edge. It remains to be seen whether Maguire will move Roberts from the right to help plug-up their defence.

Zane Musgrove will return from suspension to a place in the front row with off-season recruit Joe Ofahengaue dropping back to the bench and Michael Chee Kam joining Joey Leilua in the reserves.

Hooker Billy Walters (knee) and back-rower Shawn Blore (wrist) will not be back before round six at the earliest.

Joey Leilua and Alex Seyfarth were the two players left out on the eve of the match.

Wests Tigers have won three of their past four games at McDonald Jones Stadium.

Cowboys v Titans, Sunday 6.15pm at Queensland Country Bank Stadium

Cowboys: A late reshuffle in the backline with Valentine Holmes moving to his preferred fullback position and Scott Drinkwater shifting to five-eighth with Ben Hampton dropping out. Shane Wright was the other player to drop out and hour before kick-off.

Justin O'Neill has come off the reserves list to play wing in jersey 18.

Michael Morgan (shoulder) and Peter Hola were omitted on Saturday.

Second-rower Coen Hess suffered a burner injury against the Dragons but will play.

Murray Taulagi will replace suspended winger Kyle Feldt, who copped a two-week ban for his tackle on Dragons centre Jack Bird.

Payten elected to stick with Reuben Cotter at No.13 as forward leader Jason Taumalolo's (broken hand) replacement despite a spirited challenge from veteran Josh McGuire. Cotter was the team's Players' Player against St George Illawarra.

The Cowboys have won 10 of their past 11 games against the Titans.

Titans: Tyrone Peachey has been brought into the starting side at lock with Tino Fa'asuamaleaui shifting to prop and Moeaki Fotuaika to the bench.

Beau Fermor and Sam Stone were omitted an hour before kick-off.

A hand injury has sidelined five-eighth Ash Taylor for at least a few weeks. Tanah Boyd will make his second start at No.6 in Taylor's place.

Phillip Sami will continue to deputise in the centres with Brian Kelly (fractured hand) scheduled to return in round five. 

Herman Ese'ese and Sam McIntyre dropped out of the squad 24 hours before kick-off.

The Titans have not won in Townsville since 2012.