Late Mail Round 4: A Race Against the Clock


<p>Seriously, do we even have any players left in the NRL &#8211; let alone our SuperCoach squads &#8211; for them to be late-outs? </p>



<p>The word is thrown around so often that it&#8217;s become a meme of itself but this week is carnage. The SuperCoach gods have anti-podded almost the entire field and are cleaning house for round 4.</p>



<p>But the late mail stops for nothing and I&#8217;ll do my best to navigate the wreckage to bring you all the latest for the round.</p>



<p>As usual, all the updates across the round will come via <a href="https://twitter.com/scplaybook1" data-type="link" data-id="https://twitter.com/scplaybook1">@scplaybook1</a> on X/Twitter and Instagram, as well as myself <a href="https://twitter.com/AStilesAuthor" data-type="link" data-id="https://twitter.com/AStilesAuthor">@AStilesAuthor</a>.&nbsp;</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>ROOSTERS</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Sam Walker&nbsp;</strong>should be fine to line up after having his HIA downgraded and&nbsp;<strong>Luke Keary&nbsp;</strong>is on track to return from his own head knock.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Terrell May&nbsp;</strong>hobbled off the field last week with just over two minutes to go but he hasn&#8217;t appeared in the casualty ward so assuming he&#8217;s fine.</p>



<p>Based on the uneventful 24 hour cuts, 1-17 is likely.</p>



<p><em>24 hour cuts:&nbsp;</em>Fetalaiga Pauga, Zach Dockar-Clay, Dylan Napa</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>PANTHERS</strong></h3>



<p>Named according to their injuries. I&#8217;m also expecting 1-17 outside a game day swap between<strong>&nbsp;Daine Laurie</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Soni Luke</strong>, though that has yet to eventuate.</p>



<p><em>24 hour cuts:&nbsp;</em>Jack Cole, Ativalu Lisati, Tyrone Peachey</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>RABBITOHS</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Cameron Murray&nbsp;</strong>left training early&nbsp;this week with a bursa issue in his knee so I have to assume he&#8217;s in some doubt.</p>



<p><strong>Jack Wighton&nbsp;</strong>has a knee issue of his own but, at this stage, it shouldn&#8217;t keep him out.</p>



<p>We also haven&#8217;t seen the prop swap this year but based on absolutely nothing apart from last year&#8217;s form, I feel we&#8217;ll see&nbsp;<strong>Tom Burgess </strong>revert to the bench with&nbsp;<strong>Davvy Moale </strong>moving back to starting prop.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>BULLDOGS</strong></h3>



<p>Fresh off a dominant win, the only possible change could be the return of<strong>&nbsp;Josh Addo-Carr&nbsp;</strong>who is once again named on the extended bench. He would be a straight swap for<strong>&nbsp;Connor Tracey.</strong></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>BRONCOS</strong></h3>



<p>I&#8217;m one Brisbane injury away from having to pull on the maroon and gold, so I don&#8217;t think the Broncos have much luxury in the way of game day swaps.</p>



<p>Still,&nbsp;<strong>Marty Taupau&nbsp;</strong>could make his way into the side as Coach Walters has done previously, if he needs more experience in the pack.</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>COWBOYS</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Zac Laybutt</strong>&nbsp;caused quite the stir when he was a late withdrawal with an ankle injury, but assuming he ticks the boxes this week he should be fine to line up.</p>



<p><strong>Reuben Cotter&nbsp;</strong>is also carrying an ankle sprain but I will assume he&#8217;s playing until I see otherwise.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>DRAGONS</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Raymond Faitala-Mariner</strong> just keeps finding his way into the starting side, and this week seems the same with <strong>Jaydn Su&#8217;a</strong> likely to be ruled out for another game due to injury.</p>



<p><strong>Tom Eisenhuth&nbsp;</strong>was also a late benching in favor of<strong>&nbsp;Ben Murdoch-Masila.&nbsp;</strong>BMM isn&#8217;t in the squad this week, but<strong>&nbsp;Jack De Belin&nbsp;</strong>is conspicuous on the bench, so once again a forward pack shuffle wouldn&#8217;t surprise.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>SEA EAGLES</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Tommy Talau</strong>&nbsp;is again lurking on the extended bench as he attempts to return from injury. His inclusion would see<strong>&nbsp;Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega&nbsp;</strong>drop out of the side.</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>TITANS</strong></h3>



<p>With 5/8 such a challenging position in SuperCoach this year, there&#8217;ll be a few hoping&nbsp;<strong>Jayden Campbell</strong>&nbsp;ticks the boxes to make his return as named and edge closer towards price rises.</p>



<p><strong>David Fifita&nbsp;</strong>has also been named but on the extended bench, suggesting he&#8217;s the less likely of the two. But until ruled out he&#8217;ll be a big watch at the 24 hour and 1 hour cuts.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>DOLPHINS</strong></h3>



<p>Fresh off both a bye and a statement win, I&#8217;m not anticipating any changes for the Phins. </p>



<p>That said, I wouldn&#8217;t be surprised if&nbsp;<strong>Ray Stone&nbsp;</strong>pushes into the starting side with&nbsp;<strong>Max Plath&nbsp;</strong>dropping to the bench but, on form, I&#8217;m expecting 1-17.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>WARRIORS</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Wayde Egan</strong>&nbsp;has dropped out the last two rounds causing multiple game-day shuffles. Surely, the third time is the charm for his return.</p>



<p><strong>Marata Niukore&nbsp;</strong>and&nbsp;<strong>Dylan Walker&nbsp;</strong>are both in the casualty ward with foot and ankle niggles respectively but assuming they get through the captain&#8217;s run both should play.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>KNIGHTS</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Dylan Lucas&nbsp;</strong>was a late inclusion on the bench last week after returning from injury, so I was slightly surprised to again see him named on the extended bench. </p>



<p>I&#8217;d normally say he&#8217;s a shoe-in to come into the 17, this feels like a deliberate move. One to watch but my assumption is 1-17.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>SHARKS</strong></h3>



<p>TLT saw a big shake-up in the Shire due to a combination of suspensions, injuries, and form. </p>



<p>I can&#8217;t see much changing on game day, 1-17 wouldn&#8217;t surprise.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>RAIDERS</strong></h3>



<p><strong>Corey Horsburgh </strong>is the big name on the extended bench and given he was due back this round, I&#8217;d assume he&#8217;s a big chance to join the side on game day, most likely from the bench.</p>



<p>There is also growing speculation that <strong>Elliott Whitehead </strong>may have injured his calf which could see <strong>Zac Hosking </strong>return to the starting line up.</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>EELS</strong></h3>



<p>Surely we don&#8217;t see<strong>&nbsp;Bryce Cartwright&nbsp;</strong>on game day, right? Reported to be out for up to a month with a fractured rib, I cannot believe he was named on TLT.<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p><strong>Ryan Matterson&nbsp;</strong>or&nbsp;<strong>Kelma Tuilagi&nbsp;</strong>are ready-made edge replacements if he drops out.</p>



<p><strong>Joe Ofahengaue&nbsp;</strong>has also started at prop the last two weeks with&nbsp;<strong>Junior Paulo&nbsp;</strong>moving to the bench so that&#8217;s a strong chance of happening again.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size"><strong>TIGERS</strong></h3>



<p>I can&#8217;t see any changes for the Tigers after a big win last week. </p>



<p>1-17 likely.</p>


Late Mail Round 4: A Race Against the Clock

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