NRL Weekly Watch: Everything to keep an eye on in Round 3

Parramatta look to avoid 0-3 start versus Manly

Rivals Manly and Parramatta will face off at 4 Pines Park in the opening game of Round 3 as the blue-and-golds aim to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2018.

Cooper Johns makes way as Josh Schuster returns from injury for his first appearance of the season and will partner Daly Cherry-Evans in the halves for the first time since Kieran Foran’s much talked about departure.

Five of Schuster’s 35 NRL appearances have come in the halves, with Manly 4-1 in those games.

Parramatta, meanwhile, have named the same 17 that was beaten by Cronulla on Friday evening.

The Eels have come out on top in 11 of the past 16 matchups in this fixture, however, Manly have won three of the past four at 4 Pines Park.

Eels winger Maika Sivo has scored six tries in seven games against Manly.

Can The Dolphins continue their dream opening in Newcastle?

The Dolphins will be eyeing a third consecutive win to kick-off their introduction to the NRL when they face an injury-plagued Knights squad in Newcastle on Friday evening.

Kalyn Ponga (head knock), Jayden Brailey (head knock), Tyson Frizell (ankle) and Jacob Saifiti (suspension) are all unavailable for Newcastle’s first home game of 2023 whilst Adam Elliott (groin) and Kurt Mann (calf) are not expected to be available for at least another month.

As a result, Tyson Gamble replaces Ponga at six with Phoenix Crossland shifting into the starting hooker role in place of Brailey.

Jack Hetherington starts alongside Daniel Saifiti in the front-row with Brodie Jones starting on the right edge in place of Frizell.

Leo Thompson has been named to start at lock with Jack Johns back to the interchange alongside debutants Ryan Rivett – a half who made the move from Cronulla to Newcastle over the offseason – and Dylan Lucas – a 22-year-old Bega-native who has mostly played at centre in the lower grades along with some stints on the wing, in the back-row, and in the halves – as well as Mat Croker who returns from suspension.

Kodi Nikorima has been named to make his club debut for Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins with the veteran utility named to start at hooker in place of the suspended Jeremy Marshall-King whilst Ray Stone (knee) returns after a week off with Round 2 debutant Mason Teague back among the reserves.

The Dolphins enter this clash as favourites for the first time this season as they look to extend their unexpected stay in the top four by at least another week.

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The next chapter to be written in Roosters-Rabbitohs conflict

The Roosters and Rabbitohs will meet for the 252nd time this Friday night at Allianz Stadium with plenty of fireworks expected after an infamous qualifying finals showdown that resulted in seven sin-bins and a Bunnies’ win.

The Roosters welcome back Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Victor Radley whilst Brandon Smith has been cleared to play following an injury scare in the side’s 20-12 win over the Warriors in Round 2.

Fletcher Baker drops back to the interchange with Naufahu Whyte in the reserves.

Tevita Tatola and Hame Sele will both return for South Sydney with Davvy Moale dropping back to the interchange and Daniel Suluka-Fifita and Jed Cartwright to the reserves.

South Sydney have beaten the Roosters in five of their last six clashes and have scored 26 points or more in all five of the wins.

Rabbitohs flyer Alex Johnston has scored an absurd 11 tries in those five games.

Can Melbourne bounce back against inconsistent Titans?

Fresh off an uncharacteristic thumping at the hands of Canterbury, the Storm will be eager to make amends this Saturday afternoon against an up-and-down Titans outfit at Cbus Super Stadium.

Brian Kelly has been named in the centres as he returns from suspension for the Titans pushing Phillip Sami onto the wing with Jojo Fifita (knee) missing whilst Sam Verrills (collarbone) is replaced at hooker by former-Knight Chris Randall.

Joseph Vuna – who missed the 2022 season with an ACL tear – and debutant Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui have been named on the interchange with Sam McIntyre dropping down onto the reserves list.

Melbourne will welcome Justin Olam back earlier than initially anticipated after he suffered an arm injury in the trials along with Xavier Coates and Tui Kamikamica.

Recruit Tariq Sims makes his club debut off the pine alongside first-gamer Jonah Pezet who starred for the Blues in under-19s Origin last year.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona is set to miss 6-to-8 weeks with a knee issue whilst Young Tonumaipea, Grant Anderson, Bronson Garlick and Kane Bradley all drop out of the 17.

The Storm are riding an eight-game winning streak against the Titans and have not lost to them on the Gold Coast since 2013.

Warriors head to Townsville to face Cowboys

The Warriors will make the arduous journey up to Townsville to take on the Cowboys on Saturday evening as skipper Tohu Harris celebrates his 200th NRL game.

Suspensions to Scott Drinkwater and Peta Hiku has diminished North Queensland’s outside back stocks with Tomas Chester to start at fullback for the first time in his NRL career and Gehamat Shibasaki making his Cowboys debut in the centres.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (head knock) will miss the clash paving the way for Taine Tuaupiki to make his NRL debut after an impressive QLD Cup campaign with Burleigh in 2022 and a strong trials period.

Jackson Ford (head knock) also sits this one out with Bunty Afoa promoted into the starting side pushing Mitchell Barnett onto an edge whilst Bayley Sironen comes onto the bench.

Townsville has not proven to be a happy hunting ground for the Warriors with the side having won just two of their past 15 there.

Brisbane eye 3-0 start in Dragons showdown

Following a pair of valuable scalps, Brisbane set their sights on their first 3-0 start to a season since 2009 when they face St. George Illawarra at Suncorp on Saturday night.

Brisbane make just the one forced change following their Round 2 win over North Queensland with Jesse Arthars replacing Corey Oates on the left wing after the veteran suffered a broken jaw on Friday night.

The Dragons, meanwhile, have named the same 17 that took care of business against the Titans at Kogarah on Sunday evening with rookie Toby Couchman (head knock) the only player in any doubt.

Ben Hunt is 6-0 against the Broncos since he made the high-profile move from Brisbane to St. George Illawarra prior to the 2018 season.

The Broncos’ only win during that span came in Round 17 last year when Hunt was on Origin duty.

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Revamped rosters clash at Belmore

The Bulldogs are back at Belmore on Sunday afternoon to host the new-look Wests Tigers in what shapes as a key litmus test for both sides.

Cameron Ciraldo has named the same 17 that got the job done in Melbourne last weekend with Tevita Pangai Jr. a chance of returning in Round 4.

The Wests Tigers, meanwhile, will be without Isaiah Papali’i (suspension), Daine Laurie (knee), Tommy Talau (head knock) and Jake Simpkin (head knock) after a horror Sunday afternoon loss to the Knights at Leichhardt Oval.

Charlie Staines shifts from the wing to the back to cover the loss of Laurie with Junior Tupou and Starford To’a the new faces in the backline whilst Fonua Pole and Shawn Blore return to the starting lineup pushing Joe Ofahengaue to the interchange and Alex Seyfarth to the reserves.

Brandon Wakeham replaces Simpkin on the bench with high-profile recruit John Bateman named among the reserves as he progresses towards a club debut.

The Wests Tigers have won four of their past six against the Dogs but have never played at Belmore.

Can Canberra make it nine in-a-row over Cronulla?

The Raiders will be looking to avoid their first 0-3 start to a season since 2018 when they face Cronulla in their first home game of the year on Sunday evening.

Ata Mariota (hand) is the only player missing from their shattering Round 2 loss to the Dolphins in Redcliffe with Trey Mooney replacing him.

Veteran prop Josh Papali’i (calf) looks to be another week or two away from making his first appearance of 2023.

The Sharks, on the other hand, welcome Jack Williams back into the 17 after a Round 1 head knock with Connor Tracey dropping back to the reserves.

Reigning Dally M Medallist Nicho Hynes (calf) is eyeing a Round 4 return but will miss this one in Canberra.

The Raiders have won eight in-a-row against the Sharks and have not lost to them in Canberra since Round 10, 2018.

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