Latrell Mitchell has been cleared to return in Magic Round, while the Dolphins were forced into another change after Francis Molo was ruled out with an ankle injury before their clash with the Rabbitohs.
The late-mail team lists also brought mixed news for the Sharks, who named Hohepa Puru at hooker and shifted Jayden Berrell back to the bench, with Ronaldo Mulitalo ready for a long-awaited comeback from an ACL injury. Braden Hamlin-Uele has been promoted onto the six-man bench and could play his first game since hurting a knee in Round 4.
For the Bulldogs, the injuries kept coming. Sam Hughes was sidelined with a neck problem and Josh Curran was also ruled out with a rib injury, while Jack Underhill was called into the squad after the NRL granted Canterbury an exemption. The changes come as the Sharks and Bulldogs prepare to meet at Suncorp Stadium at 6.00pm AEST, one of the headline fixtures of a busy Magic Round schedule.
Simi Sasagi will miss four to six weeks after hurting his shoulder against the Panthers in Round 10, but Canberra said he does not need surgery after scans showed no structural damage. Coach Craig Fitzgibbon said he had been keeping Mulitalo “on ice” for a number of weeks and that the winger had trained consistently with the squad, calling his return exciting for the team and a boost of energy. Sasagi said he had no structural damage to his shoulder but would need 4-6 weeks to get back to the field.
The team lists underline how much Magic Round can turn on the margins. Mitchell’s return gives South Sydney a lift, Mulitalo’s comeback adds another proven strike option for Cronulla, and Canterbury have had to patch holes just to get a side on the field. With kickoff at 6.00pm AEST, the most important question now is how quickly the returning stars can make their presence felt against sides already stretched by injury.
