A Parramatta Eels recruit has earned a late call up to face off against his former team, while Bulldogs officials have received good news on injured star Luke Thompson.
Thompson could now be sidelined for just two months after scans revealed the Englishman may not have to undergo an operation to repair his injured foot.
If the injury heals as hoped, Thompson may now only be sidelined for the opening six to eight matches.
The news has huge implications for KFC SuperCoaches, who have loaded up on Franklin Pele at 25 per cent ownership on the assumption Thompson was out long-term.
Stay tuned for full Late Mail at lunchtime Thursday.
EELS V STORM
Thursday 2 March, CommBank Stadium, 7:50pm
Eels: 1. Clint Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Will Penisini 4. Waqa Blake 22 Isaac Lumelume 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Junior Paulo 11. Bryce Cartwright 12. Matt Doorey 13. J’maine Hopgood
Bench: 14. Jirah Momoisea 15. Jack Murchie 16. Wiremu Greig 17. Makahesi Makatoa
Reserves: 18. Jake Arthur, 19. Ky Rodwell
Players cut: 5. Bailey Simonsson, 20 Ofahiki Ogden, 21 Mitch Rein
Late Mail: Waqa Blake (arm), Maika Sivo (knee), Matt Doorey (ankle) and Bryce Cartwright (jaw) are all aiming to recover from injuries. Bailey Simonsson was originally named to start on the wing, but drops out of the side 24 hours before kick-off, with recruit Isaac Lumelume set to start against his old team. Ofahiki Ogden and Mitch Rein also drop out of the reserves.
Storm: 1. Nick Meaney 2. William Warbrick 3. Reimis Smith 4. Young Tonumaipea 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 9. Harry Grant 10. Christian Welch 11. Trent Loiero 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Josh King
Bench: 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Alec Mac Donald 16. Chris Lewis 17 Jordan Grant
Reserves: 18 – 19 Grant Anderson, 20 Bronson Garlick
Players cut: 20 Sualauvi Faalogo 21 Joe Chan 22 Jonah Pezet
Late Mail: No changes to the starting side 24-hours before kick off, with Sualauvi Faalogo, Joe Chan and Jonah Pezet all droppout out of the reserves.
WARRIORS V KNIGHTS
Friday 3 March, Sky Stadium, Wellington, 6:00pm
Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Brayden Williame 4. Adam Pompey 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitch Barnett 11. Marata Niukore 12. Jackson Ford 13. Tohu Harris
Bench: 14. Dylan Walker 15. Bunty Afoa 16. Josh Curran 17. Tom Ale
Reserves: 18. Viliami Vailea 20. Freddy Lussick 21. Ronald Volkmnan 22. Taine Tuaupiki 23. Edward Kosi
Late Mail: To come
Knights: 1. Lachlan Miller 2. Hymel Hunt 3. Enari Tuala 4. Bradman Best 5. Dom Young 6. Kalyn Ponga 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Jacob Saifiti 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 13. Kurt Mann
Bench: 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Adam Elliott 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Leo Thompson
Reserves: 18. Jack Johns 19. Tyson Gamble 20. Brodie Jones 21. Dylan Lucas 22. Bailey Hodgson
Late Mail: Dane Gagai (hamstring) missed the squad with a minor injury but is due back next week.
LISTEN TO OUR KFC SUPERCOACH PODCAST!!!!
PANTHERS V BRONCOS
Friday 3 March, BlueBet Stadium, 8:05pm
Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Luke Garner 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo
Bench: 14. Soni Luke 15. Scott Sorensen 16. Spencer Leniu 17. Jaeman Salmon
Reserves: 18 Zac Hosking 19 Matt Eisenhuth 20 Tyrone Peachey 21 Jack Cogger 22 Lindsay Smith
Late Mail: To come
Broncos: 1. Selwyn Cobbo 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jesse Arthars 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Corey Jensen 9. Billy Walters 10. Payne Haas 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Jordan Riki 13. Pat Carrigan
Bench: 14. Cory Paix 15. Keenan Palasia 16. Thomas Flegler 17 Martin Taupau
Reserves: 18 Deine Mariner 19 Brendan Piakura 20 Xavier Willison 21 Josk Madden 22 Delouise Hoeter
Late Mail: Reece Walsh (facial fracture) missed the squad but will return next week.
SEA EAGLES v BULLDOGS
Saturday 4 March, 4 Pines Park, 3:00pm
Sea Eagles: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Christian Tuipulotu 3. Brad Parker 4. Tolutau Koula 5. Reuben Garrick 6. Cooper Johns 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Jake Trbojevic 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Kelma Tuilagi 13. Sean Keppie
Bench: 14. Kaeo Weekes 15. Ben Trbojevic 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Josh Aloiai
Reserves: 18. Toafofoa Sipley, 19. Ben Condon, 20. Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega, 21. Morgan Harper, 22. Gordon Chan Kum Tong
Late Mail: Tom Trbojevic (hamstring) is confirmed to return.
Bulldogs: 1. Hayze Perham 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Jake Averillo 4. Paul Alamoti 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Matt Burton 7. Kyle Flanagan 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Ryan Sutton 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 13. Fa’amanu Brown
Bench: 14. Jayden Tanner 15. Corey Waddell 16. Franklin Pele 17. Jacob Preston
Reserves: 19. Braidon Burns, 20. Josh Reynolds, 21. Andrew Davey, 22. Jackson Topine, 23. Jayden Okunbor
Late Mail: The timeframe of Joel Thompson (foot), who went down at training on Tuesday, could be reduced from six months to as little as six weeks.
COWBOYS V RAIDERS
Saturday 4 March, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, 5:30pm
Cowboys: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Peta Hiku 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Reuben Cotter 11. Coen Hess 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Jason Taumalolo
Bench: 14. Jake Granville 15. Griffin Neame 16. Mitchell Dunn 17. James Tamou
Reserves: 18. Brendan Elliot 19. Riley Price 20. Tom Chester 21 Gehamat Shibasaki 22. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki
Late Mail: To come
Raiders: 1. Sebastian Kris 2. Nick Cotric 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Harley Smith-Shields 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Jack Wighton 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Pasami Saulo 9. Danny Levi 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Corey Harawira-Naera
Bench: 14. Tom Starling 15. Ata Mariota 16. Corey Horsburgh 17. Emre Guler
Reserves: 18 Albert Hopoate 19 Matt frawley 20 Zac Woolford 21. Trey Mooney 22 Peter Hola
Late Mail: To come
SHARKS V RABBITOHS
Saturday 4 March, PointsBet Stadium, 7:35pm
Sharks: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Matt Moylan 7. Braydon Trindall 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Braden Hamlin-Uele 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Dale Finucane
Bench: 14. Cameron McInnes 15. Wade Graham 16. Oregon Kaufusi 17. Jack Williams
Reserves: 18. Connor Tracey 19. Mawene Hiroti 20. Thomas Hazelton 21. Jayden Berrell 22. Niwhai Puru
Late Mail: Nicho Hynes (calf) is hopeful of returning next week.
Rabbitohs: 1. Latrell Mitchell 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Campbell Graham 5. Izaac Thompson 6. Cody Walker 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Damien Cook 10. Tom Burgess 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Jai Arrow 13. Cameron Murray.
Bench: 14. Blake Taaffe 15. Michael Chee-Kam 16. Davvy Moale 17. Shaq Mitchell
Reserves: 18. Jed Cartwright 19. Terrell Kalo Kalo 20. Ben Lovett 21. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 22. Josiah Karapani
Late Mail: To come
DOLPHINS V ROOSTERS
Sunday 5 March, Suncorp Stadium, 4.05pm
Dolphins: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Euan Aitken 4. Brenko Lee 5. Tesi Niu 6. Isaiya Katoa 7. Sean O’Sullivan 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Jarrod Wallace 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Kenny Bromwich 13. Tom Gilbert 14. Herman Ese’ese 15. Mark Nicholls 16. Ray Stone 17. Kurt Donoghoe 18. Connelly Lemuelu 19. Poasa Faamausili 20. Mason Teague 21. Anthony Milford 22. Robert Jennings
Late Mail: To come
Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Joseph Suaalii 4. Corey Allan 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Lindsay Collins 9. Brandon Smith 10. Matthew Lodge 11. Egan Butcher 12. Nat Butcher 13. Victor Radley 14. Drew Hutchison 15. Fletcher Baker 16. Naufahu Whyte 17. Terrell May 18. Jake Turpin 19. Tuku Hau Tapuha 20. Sandon Smith 21. Siua Wong 22. Junior Pauga
Late Mail: To come
TIGERS V TITANS
Sunday 5 March, Leichhardt Oval, 6:15pm
Tigers: 1. Daine Laurie 2. David Nofoaluma 3. Brent Naden 4. Tommy Talau 5. Charlie Staines 6. Adam Doueihi 7. Luke Brooks 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Api Koroisau 10. David Klemmer 11. Isaiah Papali’I 12. Shawn Blore 13. Joe Ofahengaue
Bench: 14. Jake Simpkin 15. Alex Twal 16. Fonua Pole 17. Asu Kepaoa
Reserves: 18. Alex Seyfarth, 19. Starford Toa, 20. Brandon Wakeham, 21. Justin Matamua, 22. Junior Tupou
Late Mail: To come
Titans: 1. AJ Brimson 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Aaron Schoupp 4. Phillip Sami 5. JoJo Fifita 6. Kieran Foran 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Jaimin Jolliffe 9. Sam Verrills 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (C) 11. David Fifita 12. Beau Fermor 13. Isaac Liu
Bench: 14. Jayden Campbell 15. Erin Clark 16. Moeaki Fotuaika 17. Joe Stimson
Reserves: 18. Sam McIntyre, 19. Keano Kini, 20. Chris Randall, 21. Klese Haas, 22. Treymain Spry
Late Mail: To come
BYE: Dragons
Originally published as NRL Late Mail Round 1 2023: Hope Luke Thompson’s timeframe massively reduced
