The NRL playoffs are in full swing with two sudden-death matches to decide who advances to face Penrith and Melbourne in the prelim finals – here is how each team is shaping up.
Finals Week 2 teams
All times AEST, fixtures yet to be officially announced
Semi-Final: 4 Sharks vs 5 Cowboys at CommBank Stadium: 7.50pm, Friday September 20
Sharks: Jesse Ramien (ankle) is considered a chance of returning, according to coach Craig Fitzgibbon, after the centre missed the loss in Melbourne. Samoan winger Sione Katoa suffered a hip injury and Fitzgibbon was unsure whether he would be right to face the Cowboys.
Siosifa Talakai will go back to the interchange if Ramien is out while Dan Atkinson or Sam Stonestreet are the frontrunners to replace Katoa.
Front-rower Toby Rudolf was placed on report for a high tackle on Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Cowboys: No injury concerns for Todd Payten’s team after their win over Newcastle with the same 17-man line-up likely to run out against the Sharks.
Semi-Final: 3 Roosters vs 6 Bulldogs/7 Sea Eagles at Allianz Stadium: 7.50pm, Saturday September 21
Roosters: Veteran prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is back from his three-game ban for what could be his last match for the club before heading to the Super League next year.
Daniel Tupou and James Tedesco were fined $1800 and $1000 respectively for dangerous contact charges in the 20-point loss to Penrith.
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Bye – Panthers, Storm
Panthers: Sunia Turuva was fined for tripping James Tedesco in the win over the Roosters while Nathan Cleary made a successful comeback from his shoulder concern and now gets an extra week off to rehab the injury.
Storm: Sua Fa’alogo is an outside chance of being available to play after suffering a hamstring injury in the final round but the rookie speedster is unlikely to be able to force his way into Craig Bellamy’s game-day squad.