All the Late Mail for week two of the 2022 trial matches.
Late Mail: Week two trial matches
Sea Eagles v Raiders, Friday 6:00pm at Central Coast Stadium
Sea Eagles: After playing limited minutes against Wests Tigers, big guns Tom Trbojevic, Daly Cherry-Evans, Kieran Foran and Martin Taupau are joined this week by Jason Saab, Dylan Walker and Jake Trbojevic, who get their first hit-out. Lachlan Croker has been named to start at hooker with Karl Lawton reverting to interchange.
Raiders: Adam Elliott will start at lock in a swap with Corey Harawira-Naera, who moves back to the interchange. Seb Kris also came into the starting side in a late swap with Albert Hopoate.
Jack Wighton and Jamal Fogarty team up in the halves for the first time and will call the shots for a powerful squad that also includes Josh Hodgson, Josh Papalii, Joe Tapine, Elliott Whitehead, Tom Starling and Hudson Young all in their first game of 2022. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad returned a positive Rapid Antigen Test on Monday and will not travel with the team to the Central Coast. He joins Jordan Rapana, Sam Williams and Matt Frawley who are all currently in isolation as per Apollo protocols.
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Roosters v Wests Tigers, Friday 8:00pm at Central Coast Stadium
Roosters: Lachlan Lam again fills the No.1 jersey with James Tedesco saved for round one against the Knights. Big guns Joey Manu, Sam Walker, Daniel Tupou, Sam Verrills, Sitili Tupouniua and Victor Radley have all been named for their first hit-out of 2022 along with Maroons prop Lindsay Collins, who returns from a knee reconstruction.
Wests Tigers: Jackson Hastings suits up for his first game in Tigers colours, joining Luke Brooks in the halves.Star fullback Daine Laurie and centre James Roberts also step out after missing last week's trial against Manly. One of the club's new captains, Ken Maumalo, gets a start with Starford To'a dropping back to the interchange. Joe Ofahengaue gets a crack in the starting side with Tyrone Peachey going to the bench.
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Panthers v Eels, Saturday 5:00pm at BlueBet Stadium
Panthers: Spencer Leniu is out of the trial and J'maine Hopgood will start at prop in jersey No.16. No other changes for Ivan Cleary's men as they look to build on the momentum of last week's impressive victory when they add premiership players Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton, Api Koroisau, Brian To'o, Viliame Kikau, Moses Leota and Scott Sorensen to the mix for the local derby against Parramatta.
Eels: No late changes for the Eels heading into their final trial game. Clint Gutherson and Junior Paulo will co-captain the side for the first time. Playmakers Mitch Moses and Dylan Brown take over from Jake Arthur and Jordan Rankin while Sean Russell comes into the starting side after Haze Dunster's season-ending knee injury. Isaiah Papali'i and Reagan Campbell-Gillard line up for their first game of the season while Ryan Matterson moves into the starting side at lock.
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Rabbitohs v Dragons, Saturday 7:00pm at Glen Willow Oval, Mudgee
Rabbitohs: No late changes for the Bunnies on game day. Centre Jaxson Paulo is the only member of this week's starting side who played against the Cowboys. Blake Taaffe, Alex Johnston, Campbell Graham, Josh Mansour, Cody Walker and Lachlan Ilias are all having their first run of the year. Forwards Junior Tatola, Damien Cook, Keaon Koloamatangi, Jai Arrow and Mark Nicholls will be let off the leash after sitting out the Cowboys trial while Thomas Burgess, Siliva Havili and Jacob Host see their first action of 2022 off the bench.
Dragons: The Dragons will line as named with no changes. Big men Aaron Woods, and Jaydn Su'A will don the Red V for the first time while centre Zac Lomax, winger Mikaele Ravalawa, halfback and captain Ben Hunt, newly re-signed prop Blake Lawrie and back-rowers Jack Bird and Jack de Belin all get their first taste of football for 2022. Tyrell Sloan has been named at fullback with Cody Ramsey on the wing.
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Cowboys v Broncos, Saturday 9:00pm (AEDT) at BB Print Stadium, Mackay
Cowboys: Coach Todd Payten unveils his new-look backline with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow at fullback, Valentine Holmes in the centres alongside new recruit Peta Hiku, and five-eighth Tom Dearden partnering co-captain Chad Townsend in the halves. Dearden is expected to play the first half with Scott Drinkwater getting a crack at the No.6 in the second half. Reuben Cotter starts at lock in Jason Taumalolo's absence with young bulls Heilum Luki and Jeremiah Nanai in the second row.
Broncos: Tyson Gamble has been given another chance to convince Kevin Walters he is the man to partner skipper Adam Reynolds in the halves for round one after being called in as a late replacement for Albert Kelly. With Reynolds being kept on ice until the season opener, Gamble will play alongside Billy Walters at the scrum-base. Brenko Lee has also been promoted from the bench to replace in the centres, while former Panther Kurt Capewell will captain the side as he did last week against the Titans. Selwyn Cobbo gets a chance to press his claims at fullback and Cory Paix will start at hooker as he duels with Jake Turpin for the No.9 jersey for round one.
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Storm v Knights, Sunday 5:45pm at Mars Stadium, Wendouree
Storm: Jesse Bromwich, Christian Welch, Justin Olam, Reimis Smith, Jahrome Hughes, Kenny Bromwich, Felise Kaufusi and Nelson Asofa-Solomona are all named in the 27-man squad for their first outing of the year. Nick Meaney lines up at fullback again as Ryan Papenhuyzen continues his rehab of an ankle injury sustained at the Geelong camp.
The Storm had no late changes in their game-day team list with Will Warbrick replaced by Tepai Moeroa earlier in the week.
Knights: Adam O'Brien has made just minor changes for the side's second trial with Enari Tuala coming in on the wing for Hymel Hunt (knee), and Lachlan Fitzgibbon named to start this week ahead of Jirah Momoisea.
Back-rower Mitch Barnett has recovered from a groin injury and will line up for his first run of the season, moving into the starting prop role in the game-day team list with Daniel Saifiti out of the side.
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Sharks v Bulldogs, Monday 6:00pm at PointsBet Stadium
Sharks: Dale Finucane, Nicho Hynes, Wade Graham, Sione Katoa, Briton Nikora, Will Kennedy, Jesse Ramien, Connor Tracey, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Toby Rudolf, Blayke Brailey and Matt Ikuvalu will all step out for their first game this week. Mulitalo makes his return from the broken jaw which cut short his 2021 season while Graham is a welcome addition having not played since round 14 last year. Hynes has been named at halfback with Braydon Trindall in the No.6 jersey.
The Sharks had no late changes in their final team list.
Bulldogs: A new era dawns for the Bulldogs with star recruits Josh Addo-Carr, Matt Burton and Brent Naden pulling on the blue and white for the first time. Burton's inclusion at five-eighth pushes Brandon Wakeham to the interchange.
Trent Barrett has also named former Rabbitoh Braidon Burns on his interchange bench for his first taste of action since making the move to the Dogs.
Paul Alamoti withdrew from the game-day squad after injuring an ankle in the earlier trial. Ava Seumanufagai and Joshua Cook were also withdrawn earlier in the week with forward Phillip Makatoa and back Creedence Toia added to the line-up to face the Sharks.
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Warriors v Titans, Monday 8:00pm (AEDT) at Cbus Super Stadium
The re-scheduled Warriors-Titans pre-season trial has been cancelled due to extreme weather conditions in South-East Queensland.
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