NRL Late Mail round 24: SuperCoach star Kayal Iro ruled out for Sharks, Jahream Bula sent for shoulder surgery

Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon has been forced to rip-up his team sheet with first-choice halves Nicho Hynes (foot) and Braydon Trindall (hamstring) remaining unavailable against Newcastle.

Regular hooker Blayke Brailey will play halfback, however in a double blow for the PointsBet Stadium clash promising centre Kayal Iro (illness) and towering prop Tom Hazleton (illness) have also been ruled out.

Iro is currently the third most owned player in SuperCoach.

The Sharks are also missing Teig Wilton (hamstring), Jesse Colquhoun (knee) and Kade Dykes (knee).

Sifa Talakai has been moved to the centres while Billy Burns, Tuku Hau Tapuha and Jayden Berrell have been named on the interchange bench.

For the Knights, Kyle McCarthy will make his NRL debut in the centres with Dylan Lucas (hamstring) ruled out.

DRAGONS PHENOM SET FOR DEBUT

St George-Illawarra’s bid to play finals footy for the first time in seven-years will include the debut of a highly-rated teenager.

Queensland-born Lyhkan King-Togia will make his NRL debut for the Dragons in a hugely important clash against the Titans at WIN Stadium on Sunday.

The elevation of the 19-year-old half, hooker or lock, has emerged in the wake of a four-week suspension to starting five-eighth Kyle Flanagan.

Jack Bird will start the match at five-eighth in the absence of Flanagan with King-Togia set to provide utility cover from the interchange bench.

Head coach Shane Flanagan confirmed King-Togia’s dream debut – an incredible rise having begun this year in Jersey Flegg.

“He deserves his opportunity, he’s progressively worked through the grades to earn his debut,’’ Flanagan said.

“Of course, he’s still got a heap of development both physically and also reading the game, but Lyhkan can play a number of positions and we’ll look to use him if we need to move players around on Sunday.’’

BULA INJURY OPENS DOOR FOR HEATH MASON

Wests Tigers fullback Jahream Bula’s season is over after having shoulder surgery on Thursday.

The Tigers confirmed the young star won’t be seen again injury after this masthead exclusively revealed damage was done to the full-back’s labrum and had an arthroscopic labral repair.

The recovery time for this injury can take up to three months, and Bula is expected in a sling for the next six weeks.

Benji Marshall is most likely to turn to rookie Heath Mason to fill their vacant No.1 jersey, with Adam Doueihi also an option.

The 22-year-old was injured during last Sunday’s clash against the Knights, but completed the game.

-Tyson Jackson

ROUND 24 LATE MAIL

Cowboys vs Raiders

Saturday, 5.30pm, QCB Stadium, Townsville

Cowboys

1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Viliami Vailea 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Jake Clifford 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Sam McIntyre 11. Heilum Luki 12. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 13. Reuben Cotter

Interchange: 14. Harrison Edwards 15. Thomas Mikaele 16. Jaxon Purdue 17. Griffin Neame

Reserves: 18. Tomas Chester

Players cut: 19. Chad Townsend 20. Jamal Shibasaki 21. Semi Valemei 22. Marly Bitungane

Late Mail: No changes at this stage. Coach Todd Payten axed halfback Chad Townsend on Tuesday, with Jake Clifford named in the No. 7.

Raiders

1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Sebastian Kris 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Ethan Strange 5. Xavier Savage 6. Adam Cook 7. Jamal Fogarty 10. Joseph Tapine 9. Tom Starling 16. Ata Mariota11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Morgan Smithies

Interchange: 8. Josh Papali’i 14. Danny Levi 15. Emre Guler 17. Simi Sasagi

Reserves: 18. Albert Hopoate

Players cut: 19. Zac Woolford 20. Trey Mooney 21. Hohepa Puru 22. Corey Horsburgh

Late Mail: Ricky Stuart has made one late change, with Josh Papali’i moving to the bench, and Ata Mariota starting.

Tigers vs Rabbitohs

Saturday, 7.35pm, Campbelltown Stadium, Sydney

Tigers

19. Heath Mason 2. Luke Laulilii 3. Solomona Faataape 4. Adam Doueihi 5. Charlie Staines 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Aidan Sezer 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. David Klemmer 11. Alex Seyfarth 12. Samuela Fainu 13. Isaiah Papali’i

Interchange: 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Sione Fainu 16. Fonua Pole 17. Alex Twal

Reserves: 18. Latu Fainu 20. Reuben Porter

Players cut: 1. Jahream Bula 21. Junior Tupou 22. Tony Sukkar

Late Mail: Jahream Bula’s season is over after shoulder surgery. Rookie Heath Mason is set to fill the vacant No.1 jersey.

Aidan Sezer has been named and is expected to play despite failing to finish last week due to a knee injury.

Latu Fainu has been named as cover on the extended bench after recovering from concussion.

Winger Luke Laulilii returns from concussion.

Rabbitohs

1. Jye Gray 2. Fletcher Myers 3. Taane Milne 4. Richard Kennar 5. Jacob Gagai 6. Jack Wighton 7. Cody Walker 8. Davvy Moale 9. Damien Cook 10. Sean Keppie 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Tallis Duncan 13. Cameron Murray

Interchange: 14. Peter Mamouzelos 15. Jacob Host 16. Thomas Burgess 17. Shaquai Mitchell

Reserves: 18. Dean Hawkins 19. Liam Le Blanc

Players cut: 20. Brock Gray 21. Izaac Tu’itupou Thompson 22. Tyrone Munro

Late Mail: Jacob Host has been named on the bench and is expected to return after an abdominal injury. No changes in the 24-hour team update.

Dragons vs Titans

Sunday 2pm, WIN Stadium, Wollongong

Dragons

1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Zac Lomax 3. Mathew Feagai 4. Max Feagai 5. Christian Tuipulotu 17. Jack Bird 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Jacob Liddle 10. Jack de Belin 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Tom Eisenhuth

Interchange: 14. Toby Couchman 15. Ryan Couchman 16. Blake Lawrie 19. Lyhkan King-Togia

Reserves: 18. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 20. Mikaele Ravalawa

Players cut: 6. Kyle Flanagan 21. Michael Molo 22. Connor Muhleisen

Late Mail: Jack Bird will play five-eighth after Kyle Flanagan copped a four-game suspension for biting with Lyhkan King-Togia to come onto the bench for his NRL debut.

Titans

1. Keano Kini 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Phillip Sami 5. Jojo Fifita 6. Jayden Campbell 7. Kieran Foran 8. Jaimin Jolliffe 9. Sam Verrills 10. Erin Clark 11. David Fifita 12. Klese Haas 13. Chris Randall

Interchange: 14. AJ Brimson 15. Isaac Liu 16. Josiah Pahulu 17. Keenan Palasia

Reserves: 19. Tanah Boyd 20. Joe Stimson

Players cut: 18. Beau Fermor 21. Jacob Alick-Wiencke 22. Tony Francis

Late Mail: Brian Kelly returns from illness, while Beau Fermor will be rested as he makes his return from a bruised kidney.

Sharks vs Knights

Sunday 4.05pm, Shark Park, Cronulla

Sharks

1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 12. Siosifa Talakai 21. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Daniel Atkinson 7. Blayke Brailey 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Cameron McInnes 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 16. Royce Hunt 13. Jack Williams

Interchange: 14. Jayden Berrell 15. Billy Burns 19. Braden Hamlin-Uele 22. Tuku Hau Tapuha

Reserves: 18. Niwhai Puru 24. Mawene Hiroti

Players cut: 4. Kayal Iro 5. Samuel Stonestreet 17. Thomas Hazelton 20. Braydon Trindall

Late Mail: Mass changes at the Sharks, with Kayal Iro and Samuel Stonetreet out, replaced in the backline by Siosifa Talakai and Ronaldo Mulitalo, with Royce Hunt moving to backrow. Braden Hamlin-Uele and Tuku Hau Tapuha are the new faces on the bench.

Knights

1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Fletcher Sharpe 3. Dane Gagai 22. Kyle McCarthy 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Phoenix Crossland 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Adam Elliott

Interchange: 14. Jack Cogger 15. Mathew Croker 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Brodie Jones

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Reserves: 18. Thomas Cant 21. Will Pryce

Players cut: 4. Dylan Lucas 19. Thomas Jenkins 20. Jackson Hastings

Late Mail: Dylan Lucas has been ruled out, with Kyle McCarthy named at centre.