NRL NRL 2020 Season - Round 20

Thursday 24th September
Brisbane vs North Queensland (Suncorp Stadium - 19:50)

Friday 25th September
Gold Coast vs Newcastle (Cbus Super Stadium - 18:00)
South Sydney vs Sydney Roosters (ANZ Stadium - 19:55)

Saturday 26th September
Canterbury-Bankstown vs Penrith (ANZ Stadium- 15:00)
Cronulla-Sutherland vs Canberra (Netstrata Jubilee Stadium - 17:30)
Wests Tigers vs Parramatta (Bankwest Stadium - 19:35)

Sunday 27th September
New Zealand vs Manly-Warringah (Central Coast Stadium - 14:00)
St.George-Illawarra vs Melbourne (Netstrata Jubilee Stadium - 16:05)
 
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Broncos: Brisbane will trial Kotoni Staggs at five-eighth, with Tyson Gamble dropping out after his head knock last week and Jesse Arthars coming in at centre. Payne Haas returns after a week off with personal leave bumping Ben Te'o to the bench and Ethan Bullemor to the reserves. Xavier Coates starts on the wing with Corey Oates reverting to the interchange. Jordan Riki returns from suspension in the back row with David Fifita out injured.
Cowboys: Josh McGuire returns from suspension at prop and Jason Taumalolo starts at lock after getting through his injury comeback last week. Corey Jensen and Francis Molo revert to the interchange alongside the returning John Asiata with Emre Pere and Ben Condon dropping out. Gavin Cooper is again named to start for Tom Gilbert despite playing from the bench on game days.

Titans: Brian Kelly returns at centre with Treymain Spry shifting to wing and Corey Thompson dropped.
Knights: Winger Edrick Lee and centre Bradman Best return to the backline with Star To'a and Gehamat Shibasaki dropping out. Kurt Mann returns from suspension at hooker bumping Chris Randall to the pine and Phoenix Crossland out. Sione Mata'utia starts in the back row with Lachlan Fitzgibbon injured and Brodie Jones called up in the interchange.

Rabbitohs: Dane Gagai returns from suspension in place of Steven Marsters at centre. Jed Cartwright starts for he suspended Jaydn Su'A in the back row with Pat Mago called up on the bench.
Roosters: Fullback James Tedesco, hooker Jake Friend, back-rower Boyd Cordner and prop Siosiua Taukeiaho all return. Joey Manu, Lindsay Collins and Isaac Liu get a rest, Freddy Lussick drops to the reserves, Angus Crichton switches to lock and Lachlan Lam replaces Drew Hutchison on the bench.

Bulldogs: No changes for the Bulldogs after their drought-breaking win over Souths besides a jersey change between Josh Jackson moving to lock and Chris Smith shifting to second row.
Panthers: The Panthers have rested Dylan Edwards, Viliame Kikau and Stephen Crichton for the final round. Charlie Staines will play fullback, Tyrone May centre and Kurt Capewell second row. James Tamou returns and prop and Api Koroisau at hooker. Moses Leota drops to the bench and Mitch Kenny to the reserves. Matt Burton and Zane Tetevano are called up on the interchange with Jack Hetherington dropping out.

Sharks: Wade Graham swaps to the halves with Shaun Johnson injured. Nene Macdonald replaces Sione Katoa on the wing, Mawene Hiroti replaces Josh Dugan at centre and Teig Wilton takes Royce Hunt's spot on the bench.
Raiders: Mass restings. Adam Cook replaces Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad at fullback. Harley Smith-Shields and Matt Timoko are the new centre pairing with Jarrod Croker and Jordan Rapana out. Matt Frawley and Sam Williams form a new halves pairing with Jack Wighton and George Williams rested.
John Bateman and Elliott Whitehead are out with Hudson Young and Corey Harawira-Naera the new back-row pairing. Josh Papalii and Joe Tapine are also rested with Sia Soliola returning from injury at prop, Siliva Havili at lock and Tom Starling starting at hooker. Kai O'Donnell and debutants Darby Medlyn and Jarrett Subloo are the new names on the bench.

Wests Tigers: Luke Brooks returns in the halves with Josh Reynolds out, Tommy Talau replaces Joey Leilua at centre, Alex Twal returns from illness at lock with Matt Eisenhuth going to the bench and Tom Mikaele moving to prop for the injured Josh Aloiai. Luke Garner starts in the back row with Sam McIntyre out while Elijah Taylor, Shawn Blore and Michael Chee Kam join the bench with Russell Packer and Jacob Liddle dropping out.
Eels: Junior Paulo and Shaun Lane are back in the starting side with Kane Evans and Andrew Davey reverting to the bench.

Warriors: Peta Hiku drops to fullback after a hamstring injury to captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. Patrick Herbert returns on the wing and Hayze Perham shifts to centre. Isaiah Papali'i starts at prop with Tohu Harris at second row alongside the returning Eliesa Katoa with Jack Murchie bumped to the bench. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown returns on the interchange with Tom Ale and Josh Curran the two to drop off.
Sea Eagles: Fullback Tom Trbojevic is out injured with Tevita Funa dropping the back and Reuben Garrick returning from injury on the wing. Abbas Miski starts on the other wing with Albert Hopoate dropping to the interchange. Taniela Paseka starts at prop with Morgan Boyle reverting to the pine. Corey Waddell starts in the second row with Jack Gosiewski out. Haumole Olakau'atu is the new face on the bench.

Dragons: Jayden Sullivan debuts in the halves alongside the returning Adam Clune with Ben Hunt suspended and Corey Norman dropped. Max Feagai starts on the wing with Jordan Pereira out and Eddie Blacker handed a debut on the bench while Euan Aitken returns at centre for Brayden Wiliame. Jacob Host is back in the second row with Tariq Sims moving to the bench and Tyrell Fuimaono out while Blake Lawrie starts with Kaide Ellis benched.
Storm: Plenty of players rested at Melbourne with an entirely new backline. Ryan Papenhuyzen returns with Nicho Hynes shifted to the bench. Josh Addo-Carr and Suliasi Vunivalu are rested with Sandor Earl and Issac Lumelume on the wings. Brenko Lee and Justin Olam are out with Ricky Leutele and Paul Momirovski the new centre pairing. Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes are rested with Ryley Jacks and Cooper Johns in the halves.
Cameron Smith, Jesse Bromwich, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Felise Kaufusi, Kenny Bromwich and Nelson Asofa-Solomona are rested from the pack. Brandon Smith starts at hooker with the returning Christian Welch and Tui Kamikamica at prop, Tom Eisenhuth and Chris Lewis form a new back row and Max King starts at lock. Darryn Schonig, Albert Vete and Aaron Pene join the bench.
 
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Only nominated forwards will be able to pack into scrums and changes to the bunker referral process will be introduced to reduce stoppages under experimental rules to be trialled this weekend.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said the Broncos-Cowboys match on Thursday night and Sunday’s Warriors-Manly clash - both of which do not include sides that will make the finals - would be used to pressure-test possible rule changes for next season.
"It is clear the current process around scrums and the Bunker could potentially be better," Abdo said.
"We are also looking at ways in which we can reduce stoppages without compromising the accuracy of the Bunker."
Other rule changes to be trialled include a hand-over for kicks into touch rather than packing a scrum and the use of the six-again call for 10 metre infringements instead of a penalty.
Abdo said all rules would be reviewed by NRL management for consideration by the ARL Commission at the end of the season.
 

moto748

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It all sounds like too much too soon to me. We have, arguably, more than enough to contend with the 6-again rule as it is. And SL, for some stupid reason, deciding to abolish scrums altogether (for this season, anyway), brings another point of difference in the sport, which is never a good thing. Our sport is plenty fast enough as it is, IMO. Watch a bit of rugby union if in doubt! :p
 
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The game imo has never had a better flow, the 6 again rule was terrific. Theres no need to go crazy with more changes. Occasionally they might overdo the bunker reviews on seemingly straightforward tries, but you'd rather that than they get them wrong I guess.

This round: restings and player changes all over the place, as well as wins meaning different things to different teams and some teams playing dead rubber mindset. Makes for a really hard round to tip.

Knights
Roosters
Panthers
Eels

These are my only win tips, the rest of the games teams are just dice rolls for me at this stage of the year.
 
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Run the big risk of messing with form even if its a dead rubber and you rest players. I hope we belt Souths and while I don't want us actively risking players I want us to pick players who are 100 per cent fit and let them go for it.

Agree with the rule changes its just ridiculous - the rules are not the issue, the interpretation of them is at times. I do wish scrums were polished up a bit and there was at least some sort of contest but on the flipside if you kick the ball out or drop it, you shouldn't have a decent chance at getting it back anyway
 

moto748

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Cowboys/Broncos was a better watch than I expected, but the result comes as no surprise. Actually feel a bit sorry for Nofoaluma missing out on top try-scorer, he has arguably been the best winger in the comp.
 
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raskolnikov

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Darius Boyd gender reveal. WTAF? Gender reveals are cringeworthy any time but this one was especially so.
 

BStaff17

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The one positive from year 2020, Broncos are wooden spooners.
Never thought I’d see it.

Yeah unbelievable with all the advantages they get being a one team town. Extra third partie deals outside the cap. News limited owned.

Play every friday/thursday night with 7 day turnarounds and prime time exposure from channel 9.

They should be in top 4 every year.

But its glorious them winning the spoon. I know everyone at work today talking about it and remembering the arrogance and the success the broncos had in late 90's early 2000's where they had pretty much the Australian and queensland team playing for them. Coming down to sydney like rockstars. They use to bet with each other who's bag would come down the carousel first when arriving in sydney like chimp change for them.

They had been living in denial for a long time and coasting along making finals on talent and free ride they get but not really challenging a premiership since 2006 outside of 2015 when they lost the GF.

How the mighty have fallen. Feels just as good as when parra flogged them 58-0 in the semis last year
 

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