Munster OUT of opener with duo in battle to replace him; Versatile Panther to miss R1 — Late Mail
Munster OUT of opener with duo in battle to replace him; Versatile Panther to miss R1 — Late Mail
Craig Bellamy has confirmed star five-eighth Cameron Munster will miss Round 1 with a niggling groin injury and named his likely replacement.
Versatile Panther Tyrone Peachey has been ruled out of the clash against the Storm with an undisclosed injury.
Despite missing all of 2023 with an ACL injury, a Titans forward is being tipped by a teammate for big things this season.
Meanwhile, the Roosters are set to unleash veteran enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in NSW Cup this week to get minutes under his belt.
Read below for all the latest team news in Late Mail!
The only place to watch every game of every round LIVE with no ad-breaks during play is Fox League, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >
FRIDAY MARCH 8
New Zealand Warriors vs. Cronulla Sharks at Go Media Stadium, 6.00pm AEDT
Warriors team: 1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Luke Metcalf 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Jackson Ford 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Tohu Harris 14. Freddy Lussick 15. Tom Ale 16. Bunty Afoa 17. Dylan Walker 18. Adam Pompey 21. Te Maire Martin
Late Mail: To come.
Players cut: 20. Jazz Tevaga 22. Ali Leiataua 23. Jacob Laban
Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Oregon Kaufusi 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Royce Hunt 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Dale Finucane 15. Jack Williams 16. Toby Rudolf 17. Thomas Hazelton 18. Kayal Iro 19. Tuku Hau Tapuha
Late Mail: To come.
Players cut: 20. Daniel Atkinson 21. Mawene Hiroti 22. Jayden Berrell
Melbourne Storm vs. Penrith Panthers at AAMI Park, 8.05pm AEDT
Storm team: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. William Warbrick 3. Reimis Smith 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 20. Jonah Pezet 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Joe Chan 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Christian Welch 16. Chris Lewis 17. Alec MacDonald 18. Shawn Blore 19. Kane Bradley 21. Marion Seve 22. Sualauvi Faalogo
Late Mail: Coach Craig Bellamy has confirmed Cameron Munster is out after failing to prove his fitness by the Thursday deadline. The gun five-eighth suffered a groin injury after doing the splits following a slip in the shower. “It’s disappointing for us and for Cameron, as he’s done everything asked of him but it hasn’t got good enough for him to play,” Bellamy said. “One day it looks like he’s going to play and then the next day it doesn’t so I don’t think anyone’s exactly sure of what it is or how to fix it.” Bellamy said either back-up half Jonah Pezet or utility Tyran Wishart will replace Munster. “We tried a couple of guys there today (Thusday) – Tyran Wishart is our 14 so he can play a couple of positions and young Jonah’s played our trials so we will have a look after training and make a decision from there,” Bellamy said. “I’m really confident both of them could get the job done.”
Players cut: 6. Cameron Munster
Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Taylan May 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Luke Sommerton 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Luke Garner 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Tyrone Peachey 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Liam Henry 17. Matt Eisenhuth 18. Daine Laurie 19. Soni Luke 20. Brad Schneider 21. Preston Riki 22. Mavrik Geyer
Late Mail: The Panthers removed Tyrone Peachey from their team list to face the Storm, with Soni Luke to come into the side in jersey No. 19. It was reported by The Western Weekender’s Peter Lang on Thursday night that Peachey did not travel with the team to Melbourne.
Players cut: 14. Tyrone Peachey
MORE NRL NEWS
‘NO CLEAR EVIDENCE’: NRL urged to ‘muzzle’ players to allow Leniu fair hearing
‘THEY ARE SO WEAK’: Bulldogs’ ‘big deficiency’ laid bare as key selection slammed
TEAMS RD 1: Luai returns in big Panthers boost; Storm make call on Munster
‘VOMIT EMOJI’: Wooden spoon heartache driving captain Koroisau’s Tigers rebuild
SATURDAY MARCH 9
Parramatta Eels vs. Canterbury Bulldogs at CommBank Stadium, 5.30pm AEDT
Eels team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Bailey Simonsson 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Morgan Harper 5. Sean Russell 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Joey Lussick 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. J’maine Hopgood 14. Brendan Hands 15. Ryan Matterson 16. Joe Ofahengaue 17. Kelma Tuilagi 18. Ofahiki Ogden 19. Daejarn Asi 20. Luca Moretti 21. Makahesi Makatoa 22. Blaize Talagi
Late Mail: To come.
Players cut:
Bulldogs team: 1. Blake Taaffe 2. Blake Wilson 3. Jacob Kiraz 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Matt Burton 7. Drew Hutchison 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Poasa Faamausili 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jacob Preston 13. Jaeman Salmon 14. Kurt Mann 15. Samuel Hughes 16. Josh Curran 17. Kurtis Morrin 19. Bronson Xerri 20. Toby Sexton 21. Jake Turpin 22. Connor Tracey 23. Kitione Kautoga
Late Mail: To come.
Players cut:
Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!
Gold Coast Titans vs. St George Illawarra Dragons at Cbus Super Stadium, 7.35pm AEDT
Titans team: 1. Keano Kini 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. AJ Brimson 5. Phillip Sami 6. Kieran Foran 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Chris Randall 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 11. Klese Haas 12. Beau Fermor 13. Keenan Palasia 14. Sam Verrills 15. Isaac Liu 16. Erin Clark 17. Jaimin Jolliffe 18. Joe Stimson 19. Jojo Fifita 20. Jacob Alick 21. Harley Smith-Shields 22. Josiah Pahulu
Late Mail: Titans star AJ Brimson has revealed that back rower Beau Fermor is ready for a “big year” under new coach Des Hasler, and could even press for rep honours.
Fermor missed all of 2023 after rupturing his achilles. The season prior, he was one of Gold Coast’s best players with his form resulting in selection in Queensland’s extended squad for Game 2, 2022.
“Beau Fermor is looking good. Obviously he was out all last year with his knee injury and he had a massive 2022,” Brimson said.
“I’m hoping he can have a big year for us and possibly even for the Maroons… I reckon he’ll be playing 80 minutes.”
Players cut:
Dragons team: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Zac Lomax 3. Moses Suli 4. Jack Bird 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Kyle Flanagan 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Jacob Liddle 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Tom Eisenhuth 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Connor Muhleisen 15. Michael Molo 16. Viliami Fifita 17. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 18. Ben Murdoch-Masila 19. Christian Tuipulotu 20. Jesse Marschke 21. Ryan Couchman 22. Mathew Feagai
Late Mail: To come.
Players cut:
SUNDAY MARCH 10
Dolphins vs. North Queensland Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium, 4.05pm AEDT
Dolphins team: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Tesi Niu 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jack Bostock 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Sean O’Sullivan 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Thomas Flegler 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Connelly Lemuelu 13. Ray Stone 14. Josh Kerr 15. Max Plath 16. Kenny Bromwich 17. Mark Nicholls 18. Jarrod Wallace 19. Jake Averillo 20. Oryn Keeley 21. Euan Aitken 22. Isaiya Katoa
Late Mail: To come.
Players cut:
Cowboys team: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Zac Laybutt 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. Heilum Luki 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Jake Granville 15. Griffin Neame 16. Sam McIntyre 17. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 18. Tomas Chester 19. Thomas Mikaele 20. Semi Valemei 21. Jack Gosiewski 22. Jake Clifford
Late Mail: To come.
Players cut:
Bye: Wests Tigers
