NRL Round 5 squad announcements

Rabbitohs: The Rabbitohs will line up 1-17 with Steven Marsters omitted an hour before kick-off and Hame Sele to be the 18th man.

Benji Marshall has taken the No.6 jersey in place of the suspended Cody Walker while Jacob Host will come into the back row for Keaon Koloamatangi (also suspended). Utility Dean Hawkins will debut off the interchange.

Winger Jaxson Paulo and halfback Troy Dargan were omitted 24 hours ahead of kick-off.

The Rabbitohs have won three of their past four games against the Broncos.

Broncos: The Broncos are 1-17. Centre Herbie Farnworth is out due to shoulder soreness with Richie Kennar coming into the centres. Patrick Carrigan is out suspended, with Tevita Pangai jnr named to start at lock. John Asiata has joined the bench in the 20-man squad named by Kevin Walters.

Corey Paix and Jesse Arthars were the first players to be omitted from the squad on Wednesday. Rhys Kennedy were cut an hour before game time. Ethan Bullemor is the 18th man for the Broncos.

The Broncos have not won in Sydney since July 2019.

Warriors v Sea Eagles, Friday 6pm (8pm NZT) at Central Coast Stadium

Warriors: A late change for Nathan Brown with Paul Turner coming on to the bench in jersey 20 and Josh Curran to be the 18th man. Rocco Berry was the other player cut an hour before game time.

Addin Fonua-Blake (knee), Bunty Afoa (suspended) and Bayley Sironen (shoulder) are unavailable. Leeson Ah Mau and Tohu Harris are set to start at prop while Jack Murchie has moved from the bench into the back row.

Kane Evans has been included on the interchange to play his first match for the club after increasing his fitness through the Queensland and NSW Cups. Tom Ale has also been named on the bench. 

Jackson Frei and Taniela Otukolo were cut from the squad 24 hours before kick-off.

Nathan Brown will reach the milestone of 250 games as an NRL coach.

Sea Eagles: Josh Aloiai has been promoted to the starting side an hour before kick-off with Martin Taupau going to the bench.

Utility Cade Cust is out of the Manly team with a virus and his place on the bench is taken by Tevita Funa. The other player to drop out of the squad on Thursday was Ben Trbojevic while Christian Tuipulotu was omitted an hour before game time and Zac Saddler is the 18th man.

Jack Gosiewski will come into the second row to replace the injured Morgan Boyle (shoulder). Morgan Harper is set to start at centre to replace the injured Moses Suli (back). Toafofoa Sipley has been included on the bench.

The Sea Eagles conceded 40 points in each of their past two games at Central Coast Stadium.

Panthers v Raiders, Friday 7.55pm at BlueBet Stadium, Penrith

Panthers: The Panthers will line up 1-17 as named. Unsurprisingly, coach Ivan Cleary stuck with the same 17 that proved far too good for Manly. 

Robert Jennings and J'maine Hopgood were omitted 24 hours before kick-off. Scott Sorensen was the last man cut an hour before game time and Jaeman Salmon is the 18th man.

The Panthers are aiming for a 5-0 start to the season for the first time in the club’s history.

Raiders: Ryan James and Iosia Soliola have been brought into the starting team an hour before kick-off with Ryan Sutton and Joseph Tapine reverting to the bench.

Tapine is returning from an ankle injury and was named to start on Tuesday but will be kept out of the early exchanges.

Semi Valemei and Dunamis Lui were cut 24 hours prior to kick-off. Sam Williams was cut an hour before kick-off and Corey Harawira-Naera is the 18th man.

Winger Jordan Rapana has scored 10 tries in 11 games against the Panthers.

Titans v Knights, Saturday 3pm at Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast

Titans: Ash Taylor is a late inclusion in the Titans halves after recovering from a broken hand, with Tanah Boyd dropping out of the squad. Beau Fermor is the 18th man.

Halfback Jamal Fogarty will play despite failing to finish the round-four loss to Canberra after a cork to his quad. Centre Brian Kelly makes his return from a broken hand.

Kelly's comeback will push Phillip Sami back on to the wing with Anthony Don (hip injury) making way.

Herman Ese'ese and Sam McIntyre were the two players left out 24 hours before the match.

The Titans have scored 30 points or more in their past five games against the Knights at Cbus Super Stadium.

Knights: Chris Randall will start at lock with Sauaso Sue to come off the interchange. Jack Johns dropped out of the extended squad on game day while Nathanael Sasagi is the 18th man.

Kalyn Ponga has recovered from his shoulder injury and will play his first match of 2021, while David Klemmer will also start after avoiding a serious knee injury last week.

Tex Hoy wasn't named after suffering a hamstring injury last weekend. With Mitchell Pearce to miss 10-12 weeks (pectoral injury), Blake Green will start at halfback while Connor Watson has moved from the bench to five-eighth to replace Kurt Mann (head knock).

Brayden Musgrove and Garrett Smith were the two players omitted 24 hours before kick-off.

The Knights have not won on the Gold Coast since 2015.

Bulldogs v Storm, Saturday 5.30pm at Stadium Australia, Sydney

Bulldogs: Luke Thompson will come off the bench in his first appearance of the season, with Dylan Napa to start at prop. 

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak returns from suspension at fullback, with Nick Meaney (ribs) out. Skipper Josh Jackson also returns from suspension, Renouf Atoni and Jack Hetherington move to the interchange with Dean Britt and Joe Stimson out.

Lachlan Lewis sits out after copping a head knock last week with Jake Averillo back from an ankle injury at five-eighth. Corey Allan swaps to centre with Nick Cotric on the wing.

Stimson dropped off the extended bench an hour before kick-off while Brandon Wakeham is the 18th man. Britt and Chris Smith were the first two players cut from the squad 24 hours before kick-off.

Storm: Harry Grant will play his first game of the season off the bench, with Tui Kamikamica to start at lock and Nelson Asofa-Solomona coming off the bench.

Felise Kaufusi returns from suspension, with Tom Eisenhuth dropping back to the interchange bench.

The club also confirmed that premiership-winning centre Brenko Lee was eligible for selection after shaking off a hamstring injury. He was included as a reserve on Tuesday but came out of the squad 24 hours before kick-off along with Dean Ieremia.

Roosters v Sharks, Saturday 7.35pm at Sydney Cricket Ground

Roosters: Second-rower Sitili Tupouniua has moved to the bench and Nat Butcher comes into the starting side.

Tupouniua passed his head knock protocols after failing a HIA last week.

Back-up hooker Ben Marschke made his NRL debut off the bench in round four and retains his place in the squad.

Daniel Suluka-Fifita and Joseph Suaalii were cut from the squad 24 hours before kick-off. Egan Butcher was the last man cut an hour before kick-off and Matt Ikuvalu is the 18th man.

The Roosters have won their past five games against the Sharks.

Sharks: The Sharks are 1-17. Winger Ronaldo Mulitalo (knee) and Josh Dugan (head knock) will play despite failing to finish last week's game. In another boost, Jesse Ramien returns to the backline following a suspension.

Ramien's comeback means the versatile Connor Tracey will revert to the interchange and Braydon Trindall is the 18th man.

Andrew Fifita and Nene Macdonald were cut from the extended squad 24 hours before game time. Franklin Pele was cut an hour before game time.

The Sharks are aiming for their first win at the SCG since 1987.

Wests Tigers v Cowboys, Sunday 4.05pm at Leichhardt Oval, Sydney

Wests Tigers: Joey Leilua has been recalled to the side in the centres in jersey No.19 in a late change with Moses Mbye dropping back to the bench.

Joe Ofahengaue will also start in the back row for the first time since joining Wests Tigers, with Luke Garner reverting back to the bench.

Michael Chee Kam returns to the reserves and is the 18th man.

Asu Kepaoa has been left out and Tommy Talau shifts out one spot to the wing. 

Jake Simpkin and Tukimihia Simpkins dropped off the extended bench 24 hours before kick-off. Alex Seyfarth was cut an hour before kick-off.

Wests Tigers have won their past four games against the Cowboys.

Cowboys: Coen Hess comes into the starting side in a late reshuffle with Reuben Cotter going to the bench alongside Jake Granville, Corey Jensen and Lachlan Burr. The 18th man is Jake Clifford.

Jason Taumalolo (hand) and Josh McGuire (illness) were ruled out on Saturday. Esan Marsters also dropped out of the playing squad on Saturday and Peter Hola was the last man omitted an hour before game time.

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow will switch from the wing to centre due to Justin O'Neill being out after suffering a head knock last weekend. Kyle Feldt will return from suspension on the wing. 

The Cowboys have not won at Leichhardt Oval since 2000.

Eels v Dragons, Sunday 6.15pm at Bankwest Stadium, Sydney

Eels: Ryan Matterson has been ruled out due to ongoing concussion symptoms. Matterson has been sidelined since leaving the field following a head knock in round two.

Isaiah Papali'i comes into the second row and Ray Stone joins the bench.

After returning from a broken jaw via the NSW Cup last week, Bryce Cartwright is set to make his club debut off the interchange with Keegan Hipgrave making way.

Jordan Rankin was cut from the squad 24 hours before kick-off. Hipgrave was the last man cut an hour before game time and Haze Dunster is the 18th man.

The Eels are aiming for a 5-0 start for the second consecutive season.

Dragons: Jack Bird will return at centre from a one-game suspension, with Brayden Wiliame dropping to the bench and Jackson Ford to 18th man.

Poasa Faamausili and Max Feagai dropped off the Dragons' extended bench 24 hours before kick-off. Jordan Pereira was the last man cut an hour before kick-off.

Forwards Trent Merrin (150th club) and Daniel Alvaro (100th NRL) will play milestone games.