3 minute read
Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith is still out with a shoulder injury but the Sydney Roosters will welcome back some NRL reinforcements to take on Wests Tigers.
Melbourne will again be without kingpin Cameron Smith when they tackle Parramatta in Thursday night's NRL showdown at Bankwest Stadium.
Skipper Smith was tipped to return from two weeks out with a shoulder injury to lead the second-placed Storm against the third-ranked Eels but has again been left out.
Playmaker Jahrome Hughes has recovered from a groin injury to be named, with Cooper Johns on stand-by, while Sandor Earl replaces winger Suli Vunivalu (jaw) and Tino Fa'Asuamaleaui is in for injured lock Dale Finucane (calf).
Parramatta are unchanged after last round's shock loss to St George Illawarra.
The battle-weary Sydney Roosters welcome back Test prop Jared Warea-Hargreaves and veteran winger Brett Morris for their Saturday night clash with Wests Tigers.
Drew Hutchison will start at No.6 in place of the injured Luke Keary, partnering Kyle Flanagan in the halves, while 18-year-old playmaker Sam Walker is line for his NRL debut after being included on an extended bench.
Interim Dragons coach Dean Young has retained his winning line-up while Brisbane have been forced into a raft of changes for their Suncorp Stadium clash on Friday night.
Five-eighth Anthony Milford is poised to return from a hamstring injury, replacing the dumped Brodie Croft.
"At the moment we're happy will how Milf is going and he's got one more training session before we can actually know if he's playing this weekend," hooker Issac Luke said.
The return of Queensland State of Origin representative Milford is a timely one for the second-last Broncos, who have Payne Haas suspended and hooker Jake Turpin (hand) and Tom Flegler (shoulder) joining a crowded casualty ward.
Gold Coast have made a swag of changes for their meeting with Canberra - among them wingers Anthony Don and Phillip Sami returning from injury, Young Tonumaipea replacing centre Dale Copley (pec) and prop Jarrod Wallace coming in for Jai Arrow (shoulder).
Manly welcome back forward Marty Taupau after a head knock to take on South Sydney on Saturday night at ANZ Stadium while back-rower Bayley Sironen steps in for the suspended Liam Knight.
Newcastle's Daniel Saifiti has succumbed to another knee injury with his brother Jacob to start at prop when they host North Queensland on Sunday afternoon.