NRL Round 3 Team Lists: One star Bronco out with another in doubt, Cowboy hit for six, Storm weakened, Foxx races clock
Adam Reynolds won’t play for Brisbane against Penrith in round three’s Grand Final rematch, while prop Payne Haas is also in doubt.
Reynolds suffered a medial collateral ligament strain and Haas injured a knee in the 28-18 win over South Sydney on Thursday night.
The skipper will be replaced by 24-year-old half Jock Madden for Thursday’s away clash with the Panthers.
Reynolds and Haas were in rehab at training on Sunday, and neither took part in the team session.
“Payne has been named but we are not 100 per cent sure he will be playing yet,” coach Kevin Walters said.
“He has still got a bit of a problem with his knee. He’s had some scans and there wasn’t too much there, but … he is still not right to go at this stage.
“Reyno won’t be playing and won’t be named. He is out.”
If Haas is unable to play, Walters said prop Xavier Willison would come into the 17 to face the Panthers.
Fullback Reece Walsh suffered a minor injury in the win over the Rabbitohs and was in a no-contact red training bib on Sunday.
After doing his own warm-up, Walsh took part in an opposed session against Broncos affiliate club Wynnum-Manly.
“Reece is fine. He just has a bit of a cork. He will be right,” Walters said.
Adam Reynolds. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Madden featured in five NRL games for the Broncos last year when Reynolds or No.6 Ezra Mam were out injured and the former Wests Tigers playmaker handled himself well.
North Queensland are bracing for at least six weeks without Heilum Luki after scans confirmed the second-rower would require surgery on his left ankle.
Luki limped from the field early in the Cowboys’ golden-point win over Newcastle, after being injured attempting to make a last-ditch tackle.
The 22-year-old was later spotted with his foot in a moon boot, and Cowboys officials have since confirmed that Luki will require syndesmosis surgery.
Luke is expected to miss between six and eight weeks recovering from the surgery.
The Cowboys had youngster Kulikefu Finefeuiaki play 58 minutes off the bench on Saturday night after Luki’s injury, and he would be expected to start in place of him.
Knights forward Jack Hetherington (ankle) also failed to finish the match.
Canterbury winger Josh Addo-Carr is a chance to return after missing Friday’s loss to Cronulla with the shoulder injury he suffered against Parramatta.
Connor Tracey, who played on the wing with the Foxx sidelined, could be squeezed out.
Front-rower Poasa Faamausili is likely to miss at least a week after suffering a nasty concussion early in the loss to Cronulla.
Storm star Cameron Munster looks set to be out until after the club’s Round 4 bye due to his nagging groin injury while halves partner Jahrome Hughes is facing a two-match ban for colliding with referee Chris Butler in the win over the Warriors.
Sharks forward Briton Nikora (high tackle), who is set to accept a two-game ban, is the only other playing facing suspension from Round 2.
Eels winger Bailey Simonsson (concussion) is out of Sunday’s Round 3 home date with Manly while Kelma Tuilagi (shoulder) is expected to be out for at least a month due to the shoulder injury he suffered in the loss to Penrith.
Panthers prop James Fisher-Harris is also facing time out due to a shoulder problem.