Team news
Titans: Phillip Sami (head knock) is a chance of returning to the backline after being named on an extended bench
"With Phil Sami he was named to play [last week] but just regressed [after a concussion]," Gold Coast high performance manager Klint Hoare said. "This week he will progress back into his protocols and he'll be flying ready to go for Souths."
Another seasoned winger in Anthony Don has been named to return from a hip injury so Jonus Pearson has dropped to the reserves.
Tino Fa'asuamaleaui's suspension for a shoulder charge brings Moeaki Fotuaika into the starting side and Sam McIntyre onto the bench.
Dylan Edwards (hand) and
Api Koroisau (wrist) will return against the Knights but the pair won't be risked if they aren't ready.
Edwards slotting in at fullback would solve a headache for Cleary, who could then move
Stephen Crichton back to the centres to replace
Paul Momirovski after he was suspended by the judiciary on Tuesday night.
Titans winger
Phil Sami (concussion) has been named on an extended bench to face the Rabbitohs and is a chance of playing.
Former Storm star
Will Chambers has been brought straight onto Cronulla's extended bench for the clash with the Bulldogs but the veteran outside back could have a run for feeder team Newtown to improve his match fitness.
Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien says the Knights are on “a journey of maturity” after he blasted their inept defensive performance and poor concentration in the 42-16 massacre at the hands of David Fifita and the Gold Coast Titans.
O’Brien was scathing in his criticism of the Knights edge defence after Fifita’s hat-trick sparked an eight-try Titans mauling where the injury-ravaged Newcastle side were at times made to look like schoolboys in their defensive failings.
With the Knights missing Mitchell Pearce, Bradman Best, Tex Hoy, Kurt Mann and Jacob Saifiti they were always going to face a torrid task against the Titans, but conceding a try within 90 seconds and later from a penalty tap and a kick-off re-start all showed just how the Knights’ heads weren’t in the game.
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Titans co-captain Jamal Fogarty is expected to be cleared to face a decimated Newcastle with reigning club champion Brian Kelly given the green light to make his comeback from a broken hand.
Kelly’s return in the centres is the only change to the Titans side that lost 20-4 to Canberra last week, replacing injured veteran Anthony Don (hip) with Phil Sami shifted out to the wing for Saturday's Cbus Stadium showdown.
Fogarty suffered a corked thigh in the defeat but will be given until game day to prove his fitness, while Ash Taylor (broken hand) was named on an extended bench but is tipped to be held back another week if the club captain can run freely by the weekend.
State of Origin - NSW v QLD: Game 2
Rugby League by Travis Meyn, Peter Badel 16th Mar 2021 1:49 PM
Premium Content
Subscriber only Titans weapon Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is itching to rip into the Broncos following revelations Brisbane overlooked him in favour of Origin nemesis Payne Haas.
The Courier-Mail can reveal Queensland Origin star Fa'asuamaleaui quit the Broncos after the club opted to invest heavily in NSW rival Haas. Fa'asuamaleaui grew up near Gympie as a Broncos supporter and signed with Brisbane's development squad on the Sunshine Coast as an 11-year-old. But his pathway became blocked as a 16-year-old when the Broncos launched an all-out assault on Haas, poaching him from the Titans and later signing the Blues star to a record six-year contract.
Andrew Fifita has been left out of Cronulla's round-one starting side, while Dylan Walker is the shock replacement for Tom Trbojevic at fullback for Manly.
New players integrating into a system, returning stars hoping to put injury-plagued 2020 campaigns behind them and incoming coaches seeking pre-season vindication of the work they've put their players through.
They are just three of the many things cubs will be looking to glean from this weekend's full slate of trials.
Each of the 16 teams has particular areas of focus, with the scoreboard not being of great importance. Avoiding injuries will be key.
Here are the important factors for each team this weekend.
Tedesco ready to captain Roosters, if called upon
NRL Trials - Week 3
Raiders: All eyes on that right edge with