Official Injury Update: A host of stars available for selection

https://www.bulldogs.com.au/news/2020/03/09/injury-update-a-host-of-stars-available-for-selection/

Round one of the 2020 NRL premiership has arrived with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the Parramatta Eels facing off in the opening game of the season.

The Bulldogs have had a busy pre-season campaign with the NRL Nines, a trial match against the Cronulla Sharks in Papua New Guinea and a week in Port Macquarie ahead of their final hit-out against the Raiders two weeks ago.

The final trial saw a number of players miss through injury, but a full squad is available for selection ahead of the Eels clash at Bankwest Stadium on Thursday night (8-05pm)

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has recovered from the back bruising he sustained in the NRL All Stars fixture and is available for selection this week.


Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Outside back Christian Crichton is back to full health after a minor knee injury.

Nick Meaney has been back to full training and is available for selection after missing the two trials against the Sharks and Raiders with a hamstring strain.

Hooker Jeremy Marshall-King has made a full recovery from shoulder surgery and has been training with the main squad for the past three to four weeks. The 24-year old is available for selection this week.

Raymond Faitala-Mariner who has been sidelined with an ankle syndesmosis injury has been training with the squad over the past two weeks and has completely recovered to be available for selection this week.


Raymond Faitala-Mariner
Sauaso Sue is available to play this weekend after making a full recovery from an ACL injury he sustained during the club’s Round 17 match against the Newcastle Knights last year.

Local junior Marcelo Montoya has started full training with the main squad and is still three to four weeks away from playing as he continues to recover from a serious knee injury.

Forward Chris Smith is two weeks post medial ligament repair after suffering a knee injury representing the Indigenous All Stars. He will be in a brace for the next two weeks and will continue to work with the club’s High-Performance staff on his rehabilitation program. The 26-year old will be sidelined for eight to ten weeks.

Kieran Foran continues to progress with his recovery from two shoulder operations and has taken the next steps in his rehab program.

 

Marcelo Montoya please take your time in making yourself available, buddy IMO there is no rush. Pace yourself.

 

RFM back earlier than expected.

Might need a couple of weeks to get some match fitness in reggies and pending how he goes, could be a smokie for a bench middle spot.

 

The 5 years at $2m may not be too bad, $400k a year and if he retires early for medical reason it's not in the Cap.

Go Dogs

 

Unfortunately he said $2m a season, not $2m for 5 seasons.

 

hope ray is up to full speed, he was very good off the bench at the end of last year

 

Fantastic news that RFM is back to full strength, i was expecting hin to be sitting out for the first 4-6 weeks. Also good to know all of the niggling injuries to JMK, Meaney and DWZ have come good.
Interesting to see that Stimson will likely play reviews, but the Britt had way more impact then him in both trials and the 9s, so I'm good with the decision if it comes to fruition.

 

Pretty sure Chris Smith would of got the 17 jersey too.

 

Good to see they're back earlier than reported.

 

bench make up is going to be interesting

starting pack seems pretty obvious, tho not all would have it that way (myself included), it seems a lock to end up being

8 tolman
9 JMK
10 Napa
11 Jackson
12 CHN
13 Elliot

Britt sounds like he has 1 spot and i think they go utility with 1 spot which sounds like its either katoa or holland ( )

leaves 2 spots for ogden, renouf T, RFM, sue (gonna assume he isn't really a chance) and stimson

never saw much of stimson in the middle, i know britt is an edge too but has played a fair chunk of middle. RFM and renouf finished the season pretty good last year so they probs get first crack over ogden. i do hope we find a role for ogden eventually, he has the most punch when he is on but does go missing at times too

 

Great news about Meaney. Would have loved to see his defence tested in the Canberra trial, but still feel he deserves first chance this year to prove himself. Averillo will no doubt get his chance soon enough

Honestly would be a bit concerned with having JMK play first grade this week. Would much rather him gain some match fitness (and hooker experience...) in CC while Katoa gets a proper chance to prove himself first.

Barring injury, RFM and Sue will really have their work cut-out for them to earn their spot in the 17. We have almost too much competition for spots in our forward pack atm, as long as Deano picks based on form then we should be right

 

to be honest, i think both shouln't really be 80 minutes guys anyways. probably works best if we have 2 hookers in the 17 this year.

i thought JMK played some of his better games when he had a spell, work load made him a pass of the deck guy in some other games

 

With that news this is how i hope we line up for round one
1. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
2. Nick Meaney
3. Morgan Harper
4. William Hopoate
5. Remis Smith
6. Lachlan Lewis
7. Brandon Wakeham
8. Aiden Tolman
9. Jeremy Marshall-King
10. Dylan Napa
11. Corey Harawira-Nera
12. Josh Jackson (C)
13. Dean Britt
Bench
14. Renouf ToOmanga
15. Raymond Faitala-Mariner
16. Ofahiki Ogden
17. Sione Katoa

18. Jake Averillo ( I would have had him over Katoa but with Jmk we need a back up hooker on bench Imo)
19. Adam Elliott
20. Jack Cogger
21. Joe Stimson (he needs to get more match fit in ccup he disappointed me I expected big things from him but when I watched him at port he was average)

 

DWZ
Meaney
Smith
Hoppa
Okunbor
Lewis
Wakeham
Ogden
Katoa
Napa
Jackson
CHN
Tolman

JMK
To'omaga
RFM
Elliott

 

8. Tolman
9. JMK
10. Napa
11. CHN
12. Jackson
13. Elliott

14. Katoa/Stimson
15. Toomaga
16. RFM/Britt
17. Smith

With Smith out I'd have Stimson fill the lock rotation role (I still rate Smith higher, Stimson needs to show me something first). I really don't know how he'd go there as I only saw him play second row for Storm (and Stimson hasn't looked good with us either). Sue is another option but I've sort of forgot about him tbh.

I would of 100% started with RFM before the trials. Britt has looked very good tho and RFM is coming back from an injury so I understand if Britt gets the spot.

 

Yeah well that's your opinion. For the lock rotation role I disagree tho. Looking within and at our players I actually like Smith. The club also re-signed Smith when he wouldn't of been needed if that was the case (if RFM and Britt were ahead of him). I feel like the club thinks the same. If we're also to believe what the club said when Smith was injured he was going to be a big part of our team this year.