Another week and another round of teamlists. After a few upsets in round 1, some teams will be keen to get their seasons back on track. For others, cementing their existing spot is the key. Just who can win and will there be more upsets? We shall soon find out.
In the meantime, here is a comprehensive list and breakdown of all 16 NRL teams across eight NRL games:
Cronulla Sharks v St George Illawarra Dragons (#NRLcrosgi); Southern Cross Group Stadium, Cronulla; Thursday, March 15. Kick-off: 8:05 pm.
Sharks: 1. Valentine Holmes 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Josh Dugan 4. Ricky Leutele 5. Aaron Gray 6. Matthew Moylan 7. Chad Townsend 8. Andrew Fifita 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Matt Prior 11. Jayson Bukuya 12. Wade Graham 13. Paul Gallen (C).
Interchange: 14. Kurt Capewell 15. James Segeyaro 16. Avagalu Seumanufagai 17. Joseph Paulo
Reserves: 18. Kurt Dillon 19. Trent Hodkinson 20. Jesse Ramien 21. Jack Williams.
Coach: Shane Flanagan.
Dragons: 1. Matthew Dufty 2. Nene Macdonald 3. Euan Aitken 4. Tim Lafai 5. Jason Nightingale 6. Gareth Widdop (C) 7. Ben Hunt 8. James Graham 9. Cameron McInnes 10. Paul Vaughan 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Tariq Sims 13. Jack de Belin.
Interchange: 14. Luciano Leilua 15. Kurt Mann 16. Leeson Ah Mau 17. Hame Sele.
Reserves: 18. Jeremy Latimore 19. Zachary Lomax 20. Reece Robson 21. Blake Lawrie.
Coach: Paul McGregor.
Ricky’s View: Although the Sharks do need to bounce back from their opening round loss, the Dragons looked composed and collected against the Broncos. The Sharks are a tougher proposition but I can see the Dragons in a close one, potentially golden point.
Sydney Roosters v Canterbury Bulldogs (#NRLsydcby); Allianz Stadium, Moore Park; Friday, March 16. Kick-off: 6 pm.
Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Latrell Mitchell 4. Joseph Manu 5. Blake Ferguson 6. Luke Keary 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Jake Friend (C) 10. Sio Siua Taukeiaho 11. Boyd Cordner 12. Mitchell Aubusson 13. Isaac Liu.
Interchange: 14. Dylan Napa 15. Zane Tetevano 16. Ryan Matterson 17. Victor Radley.
Reserves: 18. Reece Robinson 19. Mitch Cornish 20. Nat Butcher 21. Lindsay Collins.
Coach: Trent Robinson.
Bulldogs: 1. Moses Mbye 2. Brett Morris 3. Josh Morris 4. Will Hopoate 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Matthew Frawley 7. Kieran Foran 8. Aaron Woods 9. Michael Lichaa 10. David Klemmer 11. Josh Jackson (C) 12. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 13. Danny Fualalo.
Interchange: 14. Adam Elliott 15. Aiden Tolman 16. Greg Eastwood 17. Jeremy Marshall-King.
Reserves: 19. Asipeli Fine 20. Kerrod Holland 21. Renouf Toomaga 23. John Olive.
Coach: Dean Pay.
Ricky’s View: The Dogs put in a determined showing against a formidable Storm outfit but fell short. With the Roosters looking to hit their straps and record a win, I think they will have too much for the Dogs in the end.
Brisbane Broncos v North Queensland Cowboys (#NRLbrinql); Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane; Friday, March 16. Kick-off: 8:05 pm (AEDT) and 7:05 pm (local).
Broncos: 1. Darius Boyd (C) 2. Corey Oates 3. James Roberts 4. Jordan Kahu 5. Jamayne Isaako 6. Anthony Milford 7. Kodi Nikorima 8. Matthew Lodge 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Tevita Pangai Jr. 11. Alex Glenn 12. Matt Gillett 13. Josh McGuire.
Interchange: 14. Sam Thaiday 15. Joe Ofahengaue 16. Korbin Sims 17. Tom Opacic.
Reserves: 18. Todd Murphy 19. Sam Tagataese 20. Jonus Pearson 21. George Fai.
Coach: Wayne Bennett.
Cowboys: 1. Ben Hampton 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Justin O’Neill 4. Javid Bowen 5. Antonio Winterstein 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Johnathan Thurston (C) 8. Matt Scott 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Jordan McLean 11. Gavin Cooper 12. Ethan Lowe 13. Jason Taumalolo.
Interchange: 14. John Asiata 15. Coen Hess 16. Scott Bolton 17. Corey Jensen.
Reserves: 18. Kyle Laybutt 19. Michael Morgan 20. Francis Molo 21. Enari Tuala.
Coach: Paul Green.
Ricky’s View: The Broncos were poor last week and need a big performance here but the Cowboys are flying high after a win against a tough Sharks outfit. The Broncos are at home and these two teams usually put on great spectacle but the Cowboys just have too much across the park. Again, a narrow win but the Cowboys to get home.
New Zealand Warriors v Gold Coast Titans (#NRLwargld); Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland; Saturday, March 17. Kick-off: 3:05 pm (AEDT) & 5:05 pm (local).
Warriors: 1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (C) 2. David Fusitu’a 3. Peta Hiku 4. Solomona Kata 5. Ken Maumalo 6. Blake Green 7. Shaun Johnson 8. James Gavet 9. Issac Luke 10. Adam Blair 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. Tohu Harris 13. Ligi Sao.
Interchange: 14. Sam Cook 15. Leivaha Pulu 16. Sam Lisone 17. Bunty Afoa.
Reserves: 18. Jazz Tevaga 20. Anthony Gelling 21. Agnatius Paasi 22. Mason Lino.
Coach: Stephen Kearney.
Titans: 1. Michael Gordon 2. Anthony Don 3. Dale Copley 4. Konrad Hurrell 5. Philip Sami 6. Kane Elgey 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Jai Arrow 9. Nathan Peats 10. Leilani Latu 11. Kevin Proctor 12. Ryan James (C) 13. Bryce Cartwright.
Interchange: 14. Mitch Rein 15. Max King 16. Will Matthews 17. Morgan Boyle.
Reserves: 18. Keegan Hipgrave 19. Joe Greenwood 20. Jai Whitbread 21. AJ Brimson.
Coach: Garth Brennan.
Ricky’s View: Perhaps one of the harder games of the round to pick, given both teams can be really good or really bad. Both showed what they are capable of in respective wins but whose bubble will burst first? I have gone back and forth with this one but think the Titans might get the dessert on this occasion.
Penrith Panthers v South Sydney Rabbitohs (#NRLpensou); Penrith Stadium; Saturday, March 17. Kick-off: 5 pm.
Penrith: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Josh Mansour 3. Waqa Blake 4. Tyrone Peachey 5. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 6. James Maloney 7. Nathan Cleary 8. James Tamou 9. Peter Wallace (C) 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Isaah Yeo 13. Trent Merrin.
Interchange: 14. Corey Harawira-Naera 15. Sam McKendry 16. Moses Leota 17. James Fisher-Harris.
Reserves: 18. Sione Katoa 19. Tim Browne 20. Dean Whare 21. Christian Crichton.
Coach: Anthony Griffin.
Rabbitohs: 1. Alex Johnston 2. Richie Kennar 3. Dane Gagai 4. Greg Inglis (C) 5. Robert Jennings 6. Cody Walker 7. Adam Doueihi 8. Thomas Burgess 9. Damien Cook 10. Sam Burgess 11. John Sutton 12. Angus Crichton 13. Cameron Murray.
Interchange: 14. Tyrell Fuimaono 15. Mark Nicholls 16. George Burgess 17. Tevita Tatola.
Reserves: 18. Robbie Farah 19. Jason Clark 20. Hymel Hunt 21. Vincent Leuluai.
Coach: Anthony Seibold.
Ricky’s View: Another tough one to pick given the unpredictability of the two teams but you have to pick someone, right? Given the Panthers are at home, you would pick them, even more so with Adam Reynolds out for the Bunnies. Something within me says pick the Bunnies, though. So I have. Fingers crossed.
Melbourne Storm v Wests Tigers (#NRLmelwst); AAMI Park, Melbourne; Saturday, March 17. Kick-off: 7:35 pm.
Storm: 1. Billy Slater 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. Will Chambers 4. Curtis Scott 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Cameron Munster 7. Brodie Croft 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Cameron Smith (C) 10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Ryan Hoffman 13. Dale Finucane.
Interchange: 14. Tim Glasby 15. Kenny Bromwich 16. Christian Welch 17. Sam Kasiano.
Reserves: 18. Young Tonumaipea 19. Joe Stimson 20. Billy Walters 21. Brandon Smith.
Coach: Craig Bellamy.
Tigers: 1. Tuimoala Lolohea 2. Corey Thompson 3. Esan Marsters 4. Kevin Naiqama 5. Malakai Watene-Zelezniak 6. Benji Marshall 7. Luke Brooks 8. Russell Packer (C) 9. Pita Godinet 10. Ben Matulino 11. Chris Lawrence 12. Robbie Rochow 13. Elijah Taylor.
Interchange: 14. Matt McIlwrick 15. Alex Twal 16. Michael Chee Kam 17. Matt Eisenhuth.
Reserves: 18. Josh Aloiai 19. David Nofoaluma 20. Tim Grant 21. Tyson Gamble.
Coach: Ivan Cleary.
Ricky’s View: The Tigers are flying high after an upset round 1 win against the Roosters but it is hard to see them doing the same against a Storm side who were rampant against the Bulldogs. It may not be the blow-out some would predict but the Storm should win this one comfortably.
Manly Sea Eagles v Parramatta Eels (#NRLmanpar); Lottoland Oval, Brookvale; Sunday, March 18. Kick-off: 4:10 pm.
Manly: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jorge Taufua 3. Brad Parker 4. Brian Kelly 5. Akuila Uate 6. Lachlan Croker 7. Daly Cherry-Evans (C) 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Marty Taupau 11. Joel Thompson 12. Curtis Sironen 13. Jake Trbojevic.
Interchange: 14. Jackson Hastings 15. Shaun Lane 16. Lloyd Perrett 17. Kelepi Tanginoa.
Reserves: 18. Matthew Wright 19. Lewis Brown 20. Jack Gosiewski 21. Frank Winterstein.
Coach: Trent Barrett.
Eels: 1. Bevan French 2. Josh Hoffman 3. Jarryd Hayne 4. Michael Jennings 5. Kirisome Auva’a 6. Corey Norman 7. Mitch Moses 8. Daniel Alvaro 9. Cameron King 10. Tim Mannah (C) 11. Manu Ma’u 12. Tepai Moeroa 13. Nathan Brown.
Interchange: 14. Beau Scott (C) 15. Brad Takairangi 16. Suaia Matagi 17. Kane Evans.
Reserves: 18. Will Smith 19. Kenny Edwards 20. David Gower 21. Kaysa Pritchard.
Coach: Brad Arthur.
Ricky’s View: Both sides will want a win to get their season back on track and history favours the visitors. The Eels have won their last six games against the Eels and on that basis alone, despite playing away, I’m backing the Eels to win in another closely contested match.
Canberra Raiders v Newcastle Knights (#NRLcannew); GIO Stadium, Canberra; Sunday, March 18. Kick-off: 6:30 pm.
Raiders: 1. Jack Wighton 2. Nick Cotric 3. Jarrod Croker (C) 4. Joseph Leilua 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Blake Austin 7. Sam Williams 8. Iosia Soliola 9. Siliva Havili 10. Shannon Boyd 11. Josh Papalii 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Luke Bateman.
Interchange: 14. Aidan Sezer 15. Junior Paulo 16. Dunamis Lui 17. Charlie Gubb.
Reserves: 18. Craig Garvey 19. Michael Oldfield 20. Royce Hunt 21. Jack Murchie.
Coach: Ricky Stuart.
Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Shaun Kenny-Dowall 3. Sione Mata’utia 4. Tautau Moga 5. Nathan Ross 6. Connor Watson 7. Mitchell Pearce (C) 8. Herman Ese’ese 9. Slade Griffin 10. Jacob Lillyman 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 12. Aidan Guerra 13. Mitch Barnett.
Interchange: 14. Brock Lamb 15. Chris Heighington 16. Jamie Buhrer (C) 17. Daniel Saifiti.
Reserves: 18. Ken Sio 19. Jacob Saifiti 20. Daniel Levi 21. Luke Yates.
Coach: Nathan Brown.
Ricky’s View: Another interesting clash here, with two sides having very different objectives for winning. The Raiders need to bounce back and the Knights want to cement their winning streak and confidence. The Knights were the better side in their round 1 fixture with Mitchell Pearce steering them around the park.
They look a controlled, composed outfit when he steers the ship and I’m backing him to do the same and lead the Knights to a second victory to open the season.