Despite playing just three games ago, Manly and Canterbury will again do battle on Friday night. The Bulldogs will field a makeshift halves pairing with Josh Jackson and Michael Ennis named to replace NSW duo Trent Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds. Aiden Tolman (hamstring) is expected to play, as is Manly's James Hasson (concussion) who trained with the squad on Thursday.
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St George Illawarra will retire Reg Gasnier's No.3 jersey as they pay tribute to the late club champion at Kogarah Oval on Saturday. The Dragons are expected to be unchanged when they face North Queensland. Ray Thompson (hamstring) could return for the Cowboys. If he plays, expect Michael Morgan to revert back to fullback with Thompson taking his place in the halves.
The Roosters are expected to be 1-17 when they play a depleted Cronulla side. Interim Cronulla coach James Shepherd has named his first squad as a NRL coach. Hooker Pat Politini is in line to play his first NRL game since a one-off appearance for Wests Tigers in 2012 from the interchange bench. Bench prop Tim Robinson has also been named on an extended bench for the Sharks despite not playing NRL since a handful of appearances in 2012 for Manly.
Former Balmain skipper Ben Elias' nephew Mitchell Moses is in line to make his NRL debut at fullback when the Wests Tigers play Penrith. Moses is on standby for the injured Blake Austin, who has been nursing an ankle injury. Moses has been training at fullback and could play. The Tigers will be without James Tedesco after he dislocated his knee cap. Penrith are hopeful Jamie Soward will play after hurting his ankle in their last start loss to the Warriors.
South Sydney are expected to be unchanged while Albert Kelly is a chance to make his return from a leg injury for the Gold Coast.
