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Join Michael Carayannis for the NRL team news as it comes as well as plenty of Ultimate League chat.
Welcome to Talkin' Teams and Ultimate League blog. There has already been big news today with Glenn Stewart announcing he'll join South Sydney on a two-year deal from next season.
The Warriors are the first team in. Coach Andrew McFadden - who is still searching for his first win as an NRL coach - has recalled Chad Townsend and Feleti Mateo to the squad which lost to St George Illawarra. Townsend replaces the injured Thomas Leuluai while Mateo will play off the bench.
The squad is: 1. Sam Tomkins 2. David Fusitua 3. Dane Nielsen 4. Ngani Laumape 5. Manu Vatuvei 6. Chad Townsend 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Sam Rapira 9. Nathan Friend 10. Jacob Lillyman 11. Jayson Bukuya 12. Simon Mannering 13. Sebastine Ikahihifo14. Ben Henry 15. Suaia Matagi 16. Siliva Havili 17. Feleti Mateo
The Warriors will be without Thomas Leuluai who is again out with a groin injury. Leuluai's injury will also have him in doubt for the Kiwis. He was shaping up as a hooking option for the injured Issac Luke. I'm not sure where that will leave the Kiwis now. Maybe Elijah Taylor
Who do you think should play No.9 for New Zealand?
Brad Walter had a chat with an honest Benji Marshall who described himself as an "average" rugby union player. In case you missed it read it here.
How about Mahe Fonua's return to the NRL? He top-scored in Ultimate League this week in the absence of the suspended Will Chambers.
The top five players for this round were;
- Fonua (75)
- Korbin Sims (70)
- Matthew Wright (58)
- Blake Ayshford (57)
- Jason Clark (56)
Cronulla are hopeful that winger Beau Ryan will be fit to play Penrith on Saturday. Luke Lewis is probably at least a week another while Anthony Tupou could return.
Just in: NRL head of football Todd Greenberg has said the referees made the correct call in denying Melbourne winger Sisa Waqa a try against Canberra but had got the Kieran Foran try wrong. “This was a really tough call to make but the match officials got it exactly right,” Greeenberg said of the Waqa try.
“The games are so close and so exciting at the moment that every call is being closely scrutinised." On the Foran try which left the Cowboys seething: “Naturally, when referees use their discretion there will be debate from time to time,” Mr Greenberg said. “But the coaches and players know this is the rule and it will continue to be applied this way by the referees.”