Broncos’ star named as injury headache lingers; Storm’s spine solution: NRL Teams

The first week of finals football is here and the Storm have made a host of big decision regarding the make-up of their spine.

Meanwhile, the Panthers are without a key star while the Broncos have named Reece Walsh, despite a training injury scare on Tuesday.

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Read below for the full NRL Team Lists ahead of finals week one.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 12

Second Qualifying Final: Melbourne Storm (2nd) vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (3rd) at AAMI Park, 7.50pm AEST

Storm team: 1. Nick Meaney

2. William Warbrick

3. Grant Anderson

4. Joe Chan

5. Xavier Coates

6. Cameron Munster

7. Tyran Wishart

8. Stefano Utoikamanu

9. Harry Grant

10. Josh King

11. Ativalu Lisati

12. Eliesa Katoa

13. Trent Loiero

14. Jonah Pezet

15. Alec MacDonald

16. Tui Kamikamica

17. Bronson Garlick

18. Kane Bradley

19. Marion Seve

20. Jack Howarth

21. Sualauvi Faalogo

22. Lazarus Vaalepu

Analysis: With Jahrome Hughes (wrist) and Ryan Papenhuyzen (head knock) sidelined, Tyran Wishart takes over at halfback and Nick Meaney wears the vacant No.1 jersey. Joe Chan will fill the void left in the centres, while Jack Howarth has been named in the extended reserves as he eyes a return from a groin injury. Bronson Garlick has retained a spot on the bench after being displaced by the return of Harry Grant, who has served a two-game ban. Nelson Asofa-Solomona also drops out after earning himself a three-game ban, which sees Stefano Utoikamanu return to the starting side after getting a rest and Tui Kamikamica shift to the bench.

Bulldogs team: 1. Connor Tracey

2. Jethro Rinakama

3. Enari Tuala

4. Stephen Crichton

5. Blake Wilson

6. Matt Burton

7. Lachlan Galvin

8. Max King

9. Bailey Hayward

10. Samuel Hughes

11. Viliame Kikau

12. Jacob Preston

13. Jaeman Salmon

14. Kurt Mann

15. Sitili Tupouniua

16. Josh Curran

17. Reed Mahoney

19. Jake Turpin

20. Kurtis Morrin

21. Toby Sexton

22. Harry Hayes

23. Jacob Kiraz

Analysis: With Marcelo Montoya (ankle) and Bronson Xerri (concussion) sidelined, Enari Tuala shifts into the centres and Jethro Rinakama earns a call-up on the wing after he was 18th man last week. Blake Wilson has also been named on the wing, while Jacob Kiraz has been named on the extended bench and is eyeing a return from an ankle injury.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 13

Second Elimination Final:New Zealand Warriors (6th) vs Penrith Panthers (7th) at Go Media Stadium, 5.30pm AEST

Warriors team: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad

2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

3. Adam Pompey

4. Kurt Capewell

5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

6. Chanel Harris-Tavita

7. Tanah Boyd

8. James Fisher-Harris

9. Wayde Egan

10. Jackson Ford

11. Leka Halasima

12. Marata Niukore

13. Erin Clark

14. Te Maire Martin

15. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava

16. Demitric Vaimauga

17. Tanner Stowers-Smith

18. Taine Tuaupiki

20. Samuel Healey

21. Kalani Going

22. Bunty Afoa

23. Edward Kosi

Analysis: Rocco Berry is out for the season due to a shoulder injury, which sees Kurt Capewell move into the centres and Leka Halasima take up a spot in the starting back row. Wayde Egan (hip) and prop Jackson Ford (suspension) both return, which sees Sam Healey drop out of the side and Tanner Stowers-Smith shift to the pine.

Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards

2. Paul Alamoti

3. Izack Tago

4. Casey McLean

5. Brian To’o

6. Blaize Talagi

7. Nathan Cleary

8. Moses Leota

9. Luke Sommerton

10. Lindsay Smith

11. Scott Sorensen

12. Liam Martin

13. Isaah Yeo

14. Brad Schneider

15. Liam Henry

16. Isaiah Papali’i

17. Luke Garner

18. Thomas Jenkins

19. Matt Eisenhuth

20. Daine Laurie

21. Mavrik Geyer

22. Trent Toelau

Analysis: No Nathan Cleary and it would be panic stations for Penrith but no Mitch Kenny and outside of maybe Panthers fans, most people wouldn’t even bat an eyelid.

He’s one of the more underrated players in the league and while Kenny isn’t flashy, he doesn’t need to be.

In this Penrith team, all he needs to do for the most part is make his tackles and provide consistent service from dummy-half for someone like Cleary to get the time and space to execute set plays.

He is an important cog in this machine that has won four premierships in a row and without him, one of Penrith’s most under-discussed problems could come to the fore.

Foxsports.com.au understands Kenny left the field in Round 27 with a hamstring niggle, which has seen him miss out on selection for the first week of finals.

While the Panthers have plenty of options at back-up hooker from Luke Sommerton, who gets the start this week, to Trent Toelau and Soni Luke, none of them have really proven themselves capable of handling a full workload.

In the case of Sommerton, he is a nifty player with more pure speed than Kenny and so when he spots tired defenders in front of him he is a bigger threat to take the easy metres and potentially more.

But he doesn’t have the same physical frame or workrate as Kenny, making him a target for the opposition to send big forwards at and wear down over time.

It means the Panthers may only be able to squeeze 60 minutes out of him, which then puts the spotlight on utility Brad Schneider.

Ivan Cleary has stuck by Schneider for the majority of the season on the bench as cover for Nathan, but he has also at times filled in at dummy-half.

Last week against the Dragons, however, a number of Schneider’s passes hit the ground and so while he may be closer to Kenny in terms of the defensive workload he can handle, there will be major question marks over his service.

Put it all together and it means that while the Panthers may be able to get by without Kenny this week, any charge towards a fifth-straight premiership hinges on their unsung hero’s health.

However, while Kenny’s omission is a forced change, nothing was stopping Cleary from keeping an otherwise unchanged 17 outside of the returns of Brian To’o and Liam Martin.

Instead, he made the shock call to drop one of Penrith’s in-form players in Tom Jenkins, with Paul Alamoti retaining his position.

It’s a tough blow for Jenkins, who only last week would have been dreaming of playing his first NRL finals game after surging back into first grade in 2025.

After he left the Knights, Jenkins enjoyed a remarkable rise which saw him behind the year with St Marys in Ron Massey Cup and eventually lock down a spot on the wing in first grade.

Jenkins has been Penrith’s best aerial threat on the wing, scoring 13 tries including a hattrick against the Tigers in Round 14.

But after Alamoti was dropped earlier this year, Jenkins looked to have leapfrogged the man who scored a double in last year’s grand final.

However, that pecking order seems to have once again flipped, with Alamoti’s finals experience edging him in front and ultimately winning him the final wing spot.

First Elimination Final: Cronulla Sharks (5th) vs Sydney Roosters (8th) at Shark Park, 4.05pm AEST

Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy

2. Sione Katoa

3. Jesse Ramien

4. KL Iro

5. Ronaldo Mulitalo

6. Braydon Trindall

7. Nicho Hynes

8. Addin Fonua-Blake

9. Blayke Brailey

10. Toby Rudolf

11. Billy Burns

12. Teig Wilton

13. Jesse Colquhoun

14. Oregon Kaufusi

15. Siosifa Talakai

16. Thomas Hazelton

17. Braden Hamlin-Uele

18. Daniel Atkinson

19. Mawene Hiroti

20. Jayden Berrell

21. Briton Nikora

22. Hohepa Puru

Analysis: Braydon Trindall has been named at five-eighth after he was sidelined from their Round 27 win over the Bulldogs due to an ankle injury. That will see Daniel Atkinson move to 18th man. Forward Briton Nikora has been named on the reserves list after he was suspended for three games, and it looms unlikely Craig Fitzgibbon will leave him out of his side come kick off.

Roosters team: 1. James Tedesco

2. Daniel Tupou

3. Billy Smith

4. Robert Toia

5. Mark Nawaqanitawase

6. Hugo Savala

7. Sam Walker

8. Spencer Leniu

9. Connor Watson

10. Lindsay Collins

11. Angus Crichton

12. Victor Radley

13. Naufahu Whyte

14. Benaiah Ioelu

15. Egan Butcher

16. Blake Steep

17. Siua Wong

18. Ethan King

19. Salesi Foketi

20. Sandon Smith

21. Tom Rodwell

22. Makahesi Makatoa

Analysis: Coach Trent Robinson has named an unchanged team after their win over the Rabbitohs in Round 27. Sandon Smith and Salesi Foketi have been named on the reserves list while Ethan King is the 18th man. King has been 18th man for the Roosters 15 times in 2025.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 14

First Qualifying Final:Canberra Raiders (1st) vs Brisbane Broncos (4th) at GIO Stadium, 4.05pm AEST

Raiders team: 1. Kaeo Weekes

2. Savelio Tamale

3. Matthew Timoko

4. Sebastian Kris

5. Jed Stuart

6. Ethan Strange

7. Jamal Fogarty

8. Josh Papali’i

9. Tom Starling

10. Joseph Tapine

11. Hudson Young

12. Zac Hosking

13. Corey Horsburgh

14. Owen Pattie

15. Simi Sasagi

16. Morgan Smithies

17. Ata Mariota

18. Matt Nicholson

19. Danny Levi

20. Ethan Sanders

21. Noah Martin

22. Trey Mooney

Analysis: After Ricky Stuart rested majority of his starting side in Round 27, the Raiders’ cavalry returns ahead of the finals series. Centre Seb Kris slots back into the side after he didn’t play in the Round 26 victory over the Tigers, which secured Canberra the minor premiership. That means Simi Sasagi drops back to the interchange and Noah Martin goes to the extended bench. Front-rower Josh Papalii has been selected in the team, even though he picked up an ankle injury at training late last week. Matty Nicholson has been named 18th man after he played 80 minutes against the Dolphins in Round 27.

Broncos team: 1. Reece Walsh

2. Josiah Karapani

3. Kotoni Staggs

4. Gehamat Shibasaki

5. Deine Mariner

6. Billy Walters

7. Ben Hunt

8. Corey Jensen

9. Cory Paix

10. Payne Haas

11. Brendan Piakura

12. Jordan Riki

13. Patrick Carrigan

14. Tyson Smoothy

15. Kobe Hetherington

16. Ben Talty

17. Jaiyden Hunt

18. Jesse Arthars

19. Fletcher Baker

20. Delouise Hoeter

21. Jack Gosiewski

22. Jock Madden

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