By Martin Gabor
Copyright news
Reynolds comes straight in at halfback for the grand final qualifier, Ezra Mam will come off the bench and Selwyn Cobbo has been named in reserves after the trio all suffered serious injuries in the round 23 loss to the Storm.
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The veteran playmaker tried to return from his hamstring injury in the final rounds of the season but suffered a setback, with Reynolds given the green light to start in a rematch of the 2023 grand final.
“I feel good, I feel 100 per cent and I feel ready to go,” he said.
“I was always determined to get back. It’s probably why I pushed it a bit too fast in the beginning.
“But the second time around I was a bit more diligent and listened to the staff around me because we’ve got such a great support network here and our physios do such a good job.
“I pretty much was on the phone 24/7 to our physio so credit to him because he does a lot of the work in the background with the rehabilitation side of things.”
While Reynolds has been cleared to start, Mam will come off the bench and is expected to replace Ben Hunt at five-eighth at some stage with the Broncos hoping he can repeat the form that saw him score a hat-trick in the 2023 decider.
Cobbo has been listed in the reserves and could be a late inclusion, while Tyson Smoothy has been named at lock in place of the suspended Patrick Carrigan.
There’s little to report at Penrith with Casey McLean and Liam Martin overcoming slight injury concerns to be named in the starting side for the trip north.
There are huge changes for the first preliminary final with the Storm receiving a triple boost ahead of their clash with the Sharks.
Halfback Jahrome Hughes has made a miraculous recovery and been named just weeks after he fractured his forearm in his first game back from a dislocated shoulder.
His return sees Jonah Pezet drop out of the 17, while fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen has also been cleared to return after getting through concussion protocols which ruled him out of the qualifying final.
Nick Meaney moves to right centre and forces Grant Anderson out of the side, while back-rower Shawn Blore has been included on the bench after recovering from a fractured larynx.
There’s just one change for their opponents with Oregon Kaufusi coming onto the bench in place of Tom Hazelton (concussion).
NRL PRELIMINARY FINALS TEAMS
STORM VS SHARKS
Friday 7:50pm, AAMI Park, Melbourne
1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Will Warbick 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Ativalu Lisati 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero
Interchange: 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Shawn Blore 16. Tui Kamikamica 17. Alec MacDonald
Reserves: 18. Bronson Garlick 19. Grant Anderson 20. Joe Chan 21. Jonah Pezet 22. Sualauvi Faalogo
Team news: Jahrome Hughes is on track to play just three weeks after suffering a broken wrist. Ryan Papenhuyzen will return from concussion.
Cameron Munster has been cleared of any serious ankle injury despite appearing hampered after a hip drop tackle in their last match.
Shawn Blore is expected to return after being cleared of a throat issue.
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
Interchange: 14. Briton Nikora 15. Siosifa Talakai 16. Oregon Kaufusi 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele
Reserves: 18. Daniel Atkinson 19. Mawene Hiroti 20. Jayden Berrell 21. Tuku Hau Tapuha 22. Hohepa Puru
Team news: Thomas Hazelton is out due to concussion with Oregon Kaufusi joining the bench.
Toby Rudolf has been cleared to play after avoiding a suspension for a high shot.
BRONCOS VS PANTHERS
Sunday 4:05pm, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
1. Reece Walsh 2. Josiah Karapani 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Deine Mariner 6. Ben Hunt 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Corey Jensen 9. Cory Paix 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Tyson Smoothy
Interchange: 14. Ezra Mam 15. Kobe Hetherington 16. Xavier Willison 17. Ben Talty
Reserves: 18. Jesse Arthars 19. Jack Gosiewski 20. Selwyn Cobbo 21. Jaiyden Hunt 22. Jock Madden
Team news: Adam Reynolds is back from a hamstring injury at halfback.
Ezra Mam is also back early from a hamstring injury on the bench.
Selwyn Cobbo is listed among the reserves as he eyes a return from injury after playing reserves over the weekend.
Tyson Smoothy will start at lock in place of Pat Carrigan, who misses the preliminary final due to suspension.
Xavier Willison returns from a fractured forearm on the bench.
Luckless Billy Walters has been sent for surgery on an ACL injury.
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. Mitch Kenny 10. Lindsay Smith 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo
Interchange: 14. Brad Schneider 15. Liam Henry 16. Isaiah Papalii 17. Luke Garner
Reserves: 18. Daine Laurie 19. Matthew Eisenhuth 20. Thomas Jenkins 21. Mavrik Geyer 22. Luke Sommerton
Team news: No changes. Liam Martin has confirmed he is fine despite coming off with a rib injury that saw him struggle to make his way up the tunnel.
“They’re all right now. There was a bit of carry on there. It’s a bit sore at the moment, but they’re all right,” he said in the Accor Stadium sheds.
“I landed on the ball, and ‘Kiks’ is a pretty big man and he landed on me. I was a bit winded but I’m all right now.”
Centre Jesse McLean will play despite separate hip and shoulder injuries.
Mitch Kenny made a successful return from a hamstring injury on Sunday.
Originally published as Adam Reynolds, Jahrome Hughes named ahead of NRL preliminary finals
