NRL Weekly Watch: Everything to keep an eye on in Round 12

Brisbane looking to turn things around versus defending champs

The Broncos, who have lost three from their past six after starting the season 5-0, will host Penrith at Suncorp on Thursday night in the first game of Indigenous Round.

The Broncos will be without Adam Reynolds (head knock) with Jock Madden lining up in the seven jersey.

Penrith have named the same 17 that thumped the Roosters last week with Zac Hosking set to play after leaving the field last week with a head knock.

Brisbane beat Penrith in Round 1 to snap a four-game losing streak against the side.

Tyrone Peachey has scored four tries in his four games for the Panthers this season.

Desperate Dragons take on Roosters at Kogarah

The Dragons will hope to put a difficult week behind them when they face the Roosters at Kogarah on Friday evening in a bid to avoid a seventh-straight defeat.

St George Illawarra head coach Anthony Griffin was dismissed on Tuesday with assistant Ryan Carr taking over as interim.

Carr has opted to recall Zac Lomax and Jacob Liddle into the 17 after the pair were omitted the previous two weeks.

Lomax returns in the centres pushing Max Feagai to the reserves whilst Liddle’s return pushes Ben Hunt to halfback, Jayden Sullivan to the interchange, and Moses Mbye to the reserves.

For the Roosters, Joseph Manu (ankle) is missing with Drew Hutchison promoted to halfback and Luke Keary shifting to five-eighth.

Egan Butcher (head knock) returns to start in the second row alongside Sitili Tupouniua with Angus Crichton and Nat Butcher coming off the interchange.

The Roosters have extraordinarily won their past 18 non-ANZAC Day clashes against the Dragons.

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Can Rabbits extend winning streak to 7?

Now first on the ladder with six wins from their past six, a red hot South Sydney squad will host the Eels at Allianz Stadium on Friday night.

Jed Cartwright (head knock) is unavailable for the Bunnies with Daniel Suluka-Fifita replacing him on the interchange.

For Parramatta, Mitchell Moses (head knock) returns at halfback replacing Jake Arthur whilst Sean Russell comes in for Haze Dunster on the wing.

In disappointing news for the blue and golds, Shaun Lane could spend up to two months sidelined with a hamstring issue and is replaced this weekend by Bryce Cartwright with Makahesi Makatoa joining the interchange.

South Sydney have won six games in a row versus the Eels by an average margin of almost 24.

Sharks, Knights to clash in Coffs on Saturday

Saturday’s slate of games kicks off with the Sharks hosting Newcastle at Coffs Harbour’s C.ex Coffs International Stadium.

Cameron McInnes (hand) is out for Cronulla with Oregon Kaufusi (illness) returning to replace him whilst Braden Hamlin-Uele (medial ligament) has been named among the reserves as he eyes an early return from injury.

Siosifa Talakai (neck) will miss this week after withdrawing from the side’s Round 11 win over Manly with Connor Tracey retaining his spot in the centres.

Adam O’Brien has named the 17 that put up the club’s highest score in nearly a decade last weekend against the Titans, although, Leo Thompson shifts from prop to lock and Jack Hetherington vice versa.

Newcastle have won four of their past six against Cronulla after a four-year period in which they lost eight-straight to them.

Cowboys venture to Leichhardt in hopes of third-straight win

Fresh off a pair of big wins, the North Queensland Cowboys will make the trip to Leichhardt Oval to take on the Wests Tigers on Saturday.

Tim Sheens has named the same 17 that were held scoreless against the in-form Rabbitohs last week.

The Cowboys, on the other hand, will be without Jamayne Taunoa-Brown (head knock) with rookie Riley Price replacing him on the interchange.

North Queensland’s win over the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt in 2021 snapped the club’s eight-game losing streak at the venue.

Kyle Feldt has scored six tries over his past six outings for the Cowboys.

Dolphins, Storm to do battle at Suncorp

Felise Kaufusi and the Bromwich brothers will face their former-side for the first time on Saturday night when the Dolphins host the Storm at Suncorp Stadium.

Jesse Bromwich (hamstring) and Brenko Lee (hamstring) both return for the Dolphins with Valynce Te Whare and Poasa Fa’amausili both dropping out.

Ray Stone (head knock) also returns to the bench in place of rookie Mason Teague.

For Melbourne, Tui Kamikamica has been named to start off the bench with Nelson Asofa-Solomona in the front row.

Jesse Bromwich played 295 games for the Storm including three winning Grand Finals, Felise Kaufusi 173 games including a pair of winning Grand Finals, and Kenny Bromwich 216 also including a pair of winning Grand Finals.

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Addo-Carr returns, Oloapu to start as Dogs host Titans at Homebush

With just one win from their past six, Canterbury will be eager to turn the tide when they face the Gold Coast at Homebush on Sunday afternoon.

Josh Addo-Carr (ankle) returns for Canterbury with last week’s debutant Blake Wilson listed among the reserves.

Karl Oloapu has been promoted to the starting six jumper with Josh Reynolds reverting to the interchange for the Bulldogs whilst Franklin Pele drops out to make way for Sam Hughes on the interchange.

For the Titans, Erin Clark (finger) returns with Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui dropping back among the reserves.

The Titans have won just one of their past six games at Accor Stadium.

Raiders host Manly in bid for sixth-straight win

Canberra are well and truly back in the finals picture thanks to a five-game unbeaten streak that they hope grows to six when they face Manly in the final game of Indigenous Round.

For the Raiders, Zac Woolford (head knock) is missing but Danny Levi (jaw) returns to replace him; Tom Starling will start at nine for Ricky Stuart with Levi off the pine.

Jake Trbojevic (calf) and Josh Schuster (quad) both return for Manly, however, Josh Aloiai (shoulder), Aaron Woods (thumb), and Kelma Tuilagi (facial fracture) are all unavailable.

Jake Trbojevic will start at lock in place of Aloiai whilst Schuster replaces Cooper Johns in the halves and Ben Trbojevic will start on one edge with Samuela Fainu and Ben Condon joining the bench.

Manly have won eight of their past 11 versus the Raiders and seven of their past 10 at GIO Stadium.

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