Señor Winning here with all the DT Team Analysis for Round 17…
Howdy, DreamTeamers. With The Postman out of action today, I thought I had picked the perfect time to step up and run through the team lists. After all, the Tigers have the bye! I wouldn’t have to lurk around the internet until 2am to find out who was playing this weekend! Or so I thought… It seems the Raiders and Broncos had other ideas…
Round 17 – NRL Premiership 2012
Friday
Brisbane Broncos v Cronulla Sharks
BRONCOS: Josh Hoffman, Lachlan Maranta, Jack Reed, Gerard Beale, Dale Copley, Corey Norman, Peter Wallace, Josh McGuire, Andrew McCullough, Mitchell Dodds, Alex Glenn, Brendon Gibb, Dunamis Lui.
Bench: Ben Hunt, Aaron Whitchurch, Jarrod Wallace, Nick Slyney, Kurt Baptiste.
[Team Changes: Out go the Origin players, so plenty of changes here. Maranta comes onto the wing for his third game, with Beale pushing into the centres. Dodds starts for Civoniceva, Gibb for Thaiday, and Lui locks the scrum for CP13. Excluding Ben Hunt, it's a brand new bench, with youngsters Aaron Whitchurch, Jarrod Wallace, and Nick Slyney making the cut. Kurt Baptiste is 18th man.]
V
SHARKS: Matthew Wright, Isaac Gordon, Ben Pomeroy, Colin Best, Nathan Stapleton, Chad Townsend, Jeff Robson, Bryce Gibbs, Isaac De Gois, Ben Ross, Jeremy Smith, Jayson Bukuya, Wade Graham.
Bench: Andrew Fifita, Tyson Frizell, John Morris, Mark Taufua, Sam Tagataese.
[Team Changes: No Gal or Carney, so in comes Townsend and Graham. Fifita has been named on the bench, as has Tyson Frizell. If he can keep his place in the side, might be worth a look. Sam Tagataese hasn't made the cut, but I'd expect him to replace Fifita if he doesn't play.]
Saturday
Parramatta Eels v Newcastle Knights
EELS: Luke Burt, Ryan Morgan, Cheyse Blair, Willie Tonga, Ken Sio, Luke Kelly, Chris Sandow, Tim Mannah, Matt Keating, Justin Poore, Nathan Hindmarsh, Matthew Ryan, Ben Smith.
Bench: Joseph Paulo, Fuifui Moimoi, Mitchell Allgood, Taniela Lasalo, Reni Maitua.
[Team Changes: Hayne is out on Origin duty, with Burt moving back to fullback. Willie Tonga returns in the centres, and Luke Kelly keeps his spot at five-eighth. Reni Maitua returns in jersey 19 - don't be surprised to see him make the final side.]
V
KNIGHTS: Peter Mata’utia, James McManus, Dane Gagai, Timana Tahu, Akuila Uate, Jarrod Mullen, Tyrone Roberts, Kade Snowden, Danny Buderus, Willie Mason, Chris Houston, Joel Edwards, Neville Costigan.
Bench: Zane Tetevano, Zeb Taia, Adam Cuthbertson, Alex McKinnon, Kevin Naiqama.
[Team Changes: Just one change for the Knights - a straight swap - Peter Mata'utia for Boyd at fullback. I guess you don't mess with a winning formula, huh? Kevin Naiqama is 18th man.]
Sunday
Warriors v North Queensland Cowboys
WARRIORS: Kevin Locke, Bill Tupou, Ben Henry, Konrad Hurrell, Glen Fisiiahi, James Maloney, Shaun Johnson, Russell Packer, Nathan Friend, Ben Matulino, Lewis Brown, Simon Mannering, Elijah Taylor.
Bench: Jacob Lillyman, Micheal Luck, Sione Lousi, Feleti Mateo, Steve Rapira.
[Team Changes: Fisiiahi gets to nod for the wing spot vacated by Vatuvei, while Nathan Friend returns from injury. Ben Matulino is back in the starting side after being benched in their last start against the Sharks, pushing Lousi back to the bench, while Lewis Brown moves back to the second row and Elijah Taylor returns to lock. Steve Rapira is 18th man.]
V
COWBOYS: Matthew Bowen, Ashley Graham, Antonio Winterstein, Kane Linnett, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Michael Morgan, Ray Thompson, Ashton Sims, Aaron Payne, Ricky Thorby, Gavin Cooper, Glenn Hall, Dallas Johnson.
Bench: Joel Riethmuller, Scott Bolton, Jason Taumalolo, Cory Paterson, Mosese Pangai.
[Team Changes: The Cows have been hit hard by Origin - let's hope I don't miss anyone. Bowen has been named, but if he makes the cut for Queensland he won't be playing here. That'll hurt those coaches who bought him in especially for the Origin period. Tate is on Origin duty also, so Winterstein moves into the centres, allowing Kalifa Faifai Loa to come in on the wing. Michael Morgan will partner Ray Thompson in the halves for JT, while Aston Sims will start for Tamou. The elusive Joel Riethmuller comes in on the bench, as does Mosese Pangai. What about Anthony Mitchell, I hear you ask? Coach Neil Henry has indicated he'll consider playing him... One to consider... ]
South Sydney Rabbitohs v Penrith Panthers
RABBITOHS: Nathan Merritt, Andrew Everingham, Shaune Corrigan, Dylan Farrell, Justin Hunt, John Sutton, Adam Reynolds, Scott Geddes, Issac Luke, Luke Burgess, Ben Lowe, Chris McQueen, Michael Croker.
Bench: Jason Clark, Dave Tyrrell, George Burgess, Nathan Peats.
[Team Changes: Nathan Merritt switches to fullback for GI, meaning Everingham pushes out to the wing for Shaune Corrigan. Ben Lowe gets a start, replacing Dave Taylor in the second row, with a Burgess, George (not the one we were hoping for) coming onto the bench. While there's every chance we might see Sam sooner rather than later, I doubt they'd risk him against the Panthers.]
V
PANTHERS: Lachlan Coote, Etu Uaisele, Brad Tighe, Geoff Daniela, David Simmons, Blake Austin, Harry Siejka, Dayne Weston, Kevin Kingston, Nigel Plum, Clint Newton, Cameron Ciraldo, Ryan Simpkins.
Bench: Matt Robinson, Chris Armit, Mitch Achurch, Arana Taumata, Danny Galea.
[Team Changes: Luke Lewis, Michael Jennings and Tim Grant are off on their Origin adventure, replaced by Simpkins, Tighe and Weston in the starting side. Siejka and Austin make up the halves, while Chris Armit is the only man left from last weekend's bench. Note that Taumata is on the bench this week... Keep an eye on him. Still no Mansour! The frustration continues.]
Monday
Canberra Raiders v St George Illawarra Dragons
RAIDERS: Reece Robinson, Dimitri Pelo, Jarrod Croker, Blake Ferguson, Edrick Lee, Josh McCrone, Sam Williams, Dane Tilse, Travis Waddell, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Josh Papalii, Joel Thompson, Shaun Fensom.
Bench: Matt McIlwrick, Bronson Harrison, Sam Mataora, Joe Picker, Mark Nicholls.
[Team Changes: Williams returns to first grade, shifting McCrone to five-eighth for the injured Josh Dugan. Dane Tilse replaces Shillington in the starting side, with the prop off with Queensland. Interestingly, Joel Thompson has been named... Joe Picker is back also, as well as Bronson Harrison. With so many injuries, expect quite a few changes here.]
V
DRAGONS: Jason Nightingale, Daniel Vidot, Chase Stanley, Matt Cooper, Bronx Goodwin, Jamie Soward, Ben Hornby, Dan Hunt, Mitch Rein, Jack de Belin, Jake Marketo, Leeson Ah Mau, Dean Young.
Bench: Nathan Fien, Jeremy Latimore, Matt Prior, Josh Miller.
[Team Changes: Quite a few forced changes. B Morris out - Nightingale shifts to custodian. Cooper is back, after being a late withdrawal due to sickness last week. Bronx keeps his spot on the wing, while Jack de Belin starts in the front row as he did against the Titans. They also have a new look second row in Marketo and Ah Mau, with Latimore and Miller joining the side.]
BYE
Tigers, Bulldogs, Storm, Sea Eagles, Roosters, Titans.
