Sports Australia

The State of Origin teams have been named for the opening clash in just over a week, however before that we have another round of the NRL premiership to get through.

Five games to look at starting with the St George-Illawarra’s clash against Penrith on Friday night.

With four players in Origin camp and a further three sidelined through injury, the Dragons have been forced to make seven changes from the team that tore apart Cronulla last weekend.

Jarrod Saffy and Luke Priddis return to the starting line-up in the forward pack, while Jason Nightingale will fill the void at fullback left by the selection of Darius Boyd in the Queensland origin team.

Penrith likewise have made changes to its line-up with Luke Lewis and Petero Civoniceva away. While Lewis is listed as the 18th man, there are many in NSW that believe he should be in the line-up in place of controversial Cronulla skipper Paul Gallen.

His form this year would warrant selection in the final 17, though since it’s a three-match series Lewis could come into contention for either of the two games that follow.

Two teams that are battling in season 2009 square off at Parramatta Stadium on Saturday night when the home side Eels host the Sharks.

Luke Burt will move to his customary role at fullback, covering for Jarryd Hayne, while Etu Uaisele returns on the wing.

Krisnan Inu took the early guilty plea for his grade two dangerous throw charge and will miss just the one week. His place in the side has been taken by Ben Smith.

Cronulla has made two changes with Gallen out on origin duty his spot has been taken by Anthony Tupou. Scott Porter takes over from Blake Green as the halfback.

Indifferent season for the Warriors after the pre-season hype suggested they were finals bound, the team has failed to live up to those expectations and flounder in the bottom half.

Thrashed by the Cowboys and Raiders in recent weeks would not be boosting morale either though fresh faces have been introduced for this weekend.

Young duo Kevin Locke (wing) and Aaron Heremala (hooker) set for their NRL debuts this Sunday when the Tigers pounce. Locke replaces Denan Kemp, while Heremala takes over from Ian Henderson.

The Tigers have also been forced into a reshuffle with captain Robbie Farah called into the Blues’ camp. John Morris takes over the hookers’ role, while Blake Ayshford moves from the centres to the halves.

Despite copping a mauling by the Cowboys last night, Newcastle have named virtually an unchanged line-up. Only origin reps Kurt Gidley and James McManus are missing, paving the way for former Wests Tiger Shannon McDonnell (fullback) and Wes Naiqama (wing) to return.

The 2009 Bulldogs are barking loudly though only one player has been selected for Origin duty. Chris Armit replaces Ben Hannant in the starting line-up.

The round is completed on Monday night when South Sydney hosts Canberra at Homebush Bay.

South Sydney has made two changes following the draw with Parramatta last Friday night. Losing Craig Wing and Michael Crocker to origin, the Rabbitohs have named Jamie Simpson and Eddy Pettybourne in the starting team.

Beau Falloon and Ben Lowe take their places on the bench.

Raiders skipper Alan Tongue, and youngster Josh McCrone, are poised to return to the starting team.

The Raiders set to be boosted by the inclusion of Tongue should he pass a fitness test on his injured wrist, while McCrone replaces NSW origin rep Terry Campese at five-eighth.

Six clubs have the bye; all three from Queensland, the reigning grand finalists and a plucky club from the shores of Bondi.

Below are all the team line-ups that were announced today, along with Radio and Television coverage details.

St George-Illawarra Dragons vs Penrith Panthers
Friday night, May 29 @ WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Kick-off: 7:35pm (AEST).

Dragons: 1 Jason Nightingale, 2 Brett Morris, 3 Chase Stanley, 4 Matt Cooper, 5 Wendell Sailor, 6 Jamie Soward, 7 Ben Hornby (c); 8 Jarrod Saffy, 9 Luke Priddis, 10 Dan Hunt, 11 Dean Young, 12 Beau Scott, 13 Neville Costigan. Interchange: 14 Mickey Paea, 15 Jon Green, 16 Mathew Head, 17 Michael Lett, 18 Trent Merrin, 19 Nick Emmett. *Two to be omitted*

Panthers: 1 Jarrod Sammut, 2 Brad Tighe, 3 Geoff Daniels, 4 Maurice Blair, 5 Shane Elford, 6 Wade Graham, 7 Luke Walsh; 8 Tim Grant, 9 Paul Aiton, 10 Frank Puletua, 11 Trent Waterhouse, 12 Frank Pritchard, 13 Nathan Smith. Interchange: 14 Joseph Paulo, 15 Gavin Cooper, 16 Matthew Bell, 17 Andrew Emelio, 18 Masada Isoefa, 25 Lachlan Coote. *Two to be omitted*

Live coverage on Channel 9 and Radio 2GB from 7:30pm (AEST). Fox Sports late night replay from 11:30pm (AEST). Check local guides for more information.

Parramatta Eels vs Cronulla Sharks
Saturday evening, May 30 @ Parramatta Stadium, Sydney
Kick-off: 7:30pm (AEST).

Eels: 1 Luke Burt, 2 Eric Grothe, 3 Taulima Tautai, 4 Ben Smith, 5 Etu Uaisele, 6 Joel Reddy, 7 Jeff Robson; 8 Nathan Cayless (c), 9 Matthew Keating, 10 Fuifui Moimoi, 11 Nathan Hindmarsh, 12 Joe Galuvao, 13 Todd Lowrie. Interchange: 14 Daniel Mortimer, 15 Josh Cordoba, 16 Tim Mannah, 17 Brendan Oake, 20 Jeremy Latimore. *One to be omitted*

Sharks: 1 Nathan Stapleton, 2 Blake Ferguson, 3 Matthew Wright, 4 Reece Williams, 5 Luke Covell, 6 Trent Barrett, 7 Scott Porter; 8 Kade Snowden, 9 Tony Caine, 10 Johnny Mannah, 11 Luke Douglas, 12 Anthony Tupou, 13 Atelea Vea. Interchange: 14 Mitch Brown, 15 Grant Millington, 16 Jacob Selmes, 17 Terence Seu Seu.

Live coverage on Fox Sports Two and Radio 2GB from 7:30pm (AEST).

New Zealand Warriors vs Wests Tigers
Sunday afternoon, May 31 @ Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Kick-off: 4:00pm (NZ); 2:00pm (AEST).

Warriors: 1 Wade McKinnon, 2 Kevin Locke, 3 Patrick Ah Van, 4 Jerome Ropati, 5 Manu Vativei, 6 Joel Moon, 7 Stacey Jones; 8 Sam Rapira, 9 Aaron Heremala, 10 Jesse Royal, 11 Simon Mannering, 12 Jacob Lillyman, 13 Micheal Luck (c). Interchange: 14 Lance Hohaia, 15 Russell Packer, 16 Lewis Brown, 17 Ben Matulino.

Tigers: 1 Tim Moltzen, 2 Taniela Tuiaki, 3 Peni Tagive, 4 Dene Halatau, 5 Beau Ryan, 6 J Blake Ayshford, 7 Benji Marshall; 8 Bryce Gibbs, 9 Blake Ayshford, 10 Todd Payten, 11 Gareth Ellis, 12 Chris Heighington, 13 Corey Payne. Interchange: 14 Rhys Hanbury, 15 Rocky Trimarchi, 16 John Skandalis, 17 Daine Laurie, 18 Danny Galea. *One to be omitted*

Live coverage on Fox Sports Two and Radio 2GB from 12:00pm (AEST).

Newcastle Knights vs Bulldogs
Sunday afternoon, May 31 @ Energy Australia Stadium, Newcastle
Kick-off: 3:00pm (AEST).

Knights: 1 Shannon McDonnell, 2 Wes Naiqama, 3 Junior Sau, 4 Leith Lulia, 5 Akuila Uate, 6 Ben Rogers, 7 Jarrod Mullen; 8 Mark Taufua, 9 Isaac DeGois, 10 Chris Houston, 11 Steve Simpson (c), 12 Zeb Taia, 13 Matt Hilder. Interchange: 14 George Ndaira, 15 Marvin Karawana, 16 Richie Fa’aoso, 17 Danny Wicks.

Bulldogs: 1 Luke Patten, 2 Hazem El Masri, 3 Daryl Millard, 4 Jamal Idris, 5 Bryson Goodwin, 6 Ben Roberts, 7 Brett Kimmorley; 8 Chris Armit, 9 Michael Ennis, 10 Michael Hodgson, 11 Greg Eastwood, 12 Andrew Ryan (c), 13 David Stagg. Interchange: 14 Gary Warburton, 15 John Kite, 16 Yileen Gordon, 17 Daniel Holdsworth.

Replay on Channel 9 from 4:00pm, check local guides for more information. Replay on Fox Sports Two from 6:00pm (all times AEST).

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Canberra Raiders
Monday night, June 1 @ ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Kick-off: 7:00pm (AEST).

Rabbitohs: 1 Luke Capewell, 2 Nathan Merritt, 3 Colin Best, 4 Beau Champion, 5 Fetuli Talanoa, 6 Jamie Simpson, 7 Chris Sandow; 8 Luke Stuart, 9 Issac Luke, 10 Roy Asotasi (c), 11 David Kidwell, 12 Eddy Pettybourne, 13 David Fa’alogo. Interchange: 14 Beau Falloon, 15 Ben Lowe, 16 Jaiman Lowe, 17 Shannan McPherson.

Raiders: 1 David Milne, 2 Adrian Purtell, 3 Jarrod Croker, 4 Joel Monaghan, 5 Phil Graham, 6 Josh McCrone, 7 Marc Herbert, 8 David Shillington, 9 Glen Buttriss, 10 Scott Logan, 11 Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, 12 Bronson Harrison, 13 Alan Tongue (c). Interchange: 14 Trevor Thurling, 15 Nigel Plum, 16 Josh Miller, 17 Dane Tilse, 18 Travis Waddell. *One to be omitted*

Live coverage on Fox Sports Two from 7:00pm (AEST). Check local guides for more information.

Byes- Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans, Manly Sea Eagles, Melbourne Storm, North Queensland Cowboys, Sydney Roosters.