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Rapid fire Tuesday, Round 5: Gray at the back, injuries and suspension carnage as teams announced

There are plenty of changes for Round 5. Here is all the news for your club.

Published by
Scott Pryde

All 16 teams are in for Round 5, and with injuries and suspensions causing chaos, there are plenty of changes and talking points.

Here are all the big ones.

ROUND 5 TEAMS IN FULL

2025-04-03T09:00:00Z
GIO Stadium
CBR
24
FT
20
CRO
Crowd: 10,914

Canberra Raiders

Cronulla Sharks

  • Kayal Iro has a hamstring injury, so he is out of this weekend's trip south. Back-up centre Mawene Hiroti comes into the side.
  • Tom Hazelton has been named to return from a back injury again. He takes the place of Siosifa Talakai who is out with concussion.
  • Billy Burns remains on the reserves list despite Talakai's absence.
2025-04-04T07:00:00Z
CommBank Stadium
PEN
18
FT
22
NQL
Crowd: 10,320

Penrith Panthers

North Queensland Cowboys

  • The Cowboys have had their first win of the year, and evidently, Todd Payten sees no reason for change.
  • Still no room for Zac Laybutt who is on the comeback trail from an ACL. He is in jersey 19 this week.
2025-04-04T09:00:00Z
Accor Stadium
SOU
20
FT
14
SYD
Crowd: 22,114

South Sydney Rabbitohs

Sydney Roosters

2025-04-05T04:00:00Z
CommBank Stadium
PAR
23
FT
22
STI
Crowd: 19,302

Parramatta Eels

  • In a big boost for Parramatta, Dylan Walker joins the club and goes straight onto the bench.
  • Luca Moretti also joins the bench.
  • Charlie Guymer drops out, but maybe more intriguingly, Joey Lussick has been dropped. Ryley Smith will move from the bench to dummy half.
  • No other changes for the Eels, who still have a host of talent in the NSW Cup.

St George Illawarra Dragons

  • After being a late inclusion to the run on side last week, David Klemmer stays in the starting side.
  • The man he swapped spots with, Toby Couchman, takes the other starting spot with Emre Guler out suspended.
  • The vacant spot on the bench is claimed by Blake Lawrie although Loko Pasifki Tonga in jersey 19 is getting closer to a debut.
2025-04-05T06:30:00Z
Cbus Super Stadium
GLD
10
FT
36
DOL
Crowd: 13,167

Gold Coast Titans

  • Jaimin Jolliffe is back from a calf injury after two weeks out.
  • Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui is out with an ankle injury, and Sam Verrills with a hip strain.
  • Jolliffe joins the bench for Fa'asuamaleaui, while Chris Randall promotes from the bench to hooker with Verrills out.
  • Sean Mullany is the debutant on the bench for the Titans to take the vacant spot.
  • Josiah Pahulu is in the NRL squad as a reserve for the first time this year, wearing jersey 22.

The Dolphins

  • Tom Gilbert it out suspended. The Dolphins have a ready-made replacement in Max Plath, who shuffles from the edge to the middle, a role he played for much of last year.
  • Connelly Lemuelu joins the second-row after missing recent weeks with an eye injury.
2025-04-05T08:35:00Z
Suncorp Stadium
BRI
46
FT
24
WST
Crowd: 41,012

Brisbane Broncos

Wests Tigers

  • Jarome Luai is out suspended. Latu Fainu comes straight into the starting side after playing a host of positions last weekend from the pine.
  • Adam Doueihi pulled out in the warm up last weekend with a groin injury. He has been named to play this weekend.
  • Jack Bird, who was his late replacement at centre, goes back to the bench.
  • Solomona Faataape had a poor performance against the Warriors and has been dropped, with exciting youngster Luke Laulilii into the side.
2025-04-06T06:05:00Z
4 Pines Park
MAN
24
FT
48
MEL
Crowd: 17,346

Manly Sea Eagles

Melbourne Storm

  • Tyran Wishart's poor effort against the Dragons hasn't seen him lose his spot. He remains at halfback.
  • Jahrome Hughes is named among the reserves, so is close to returning.
  • If Hughes does return, Wishart would likely drop to the bench with Bronson Garlick shuffling out of the side.
  • Marion Seve was a late inclusion on last week's bench, but he is out this week with Lazarus Vaalepu named on the bench.
  • Moses Leo has been named among the reserves.
2025-04-06T08:15:00Z
Accor Stadium
CAN
20
FT
0
NEW
Crowd: 24,113

Canterbury Bulldogs

  • Sitili Tupouniua is out with a suspension, with Kurtis Morrin, who was a late out last week, taking his spot on the bench.
  • Morrin's replacement from last weekend, debutant Jack Todd, stays on the pine.
  • Jacob Kiraz wasn't due to return for a number of weeks, but is getting closer, named on the reserves for Round 5.

Newcastle Knights

  • Forward pack leader Leo Thompson is back in the starting side for Newcastle. A straight swap sees Brodie Jones drop back to 18th man.
  • No other changes for the Knights, with the likes of Matthew Arthur and Jackson Hastings still on the reserves list.
Published by
Scott Pryde