Daniel Atkinson will replace the injured Nicho Hynes as Braydon Trindall’s halves offsider in Friday night’s clash with Wests Tigers.
The versatile Atkinson, who scored a try on the wing against the Titans last week, has lined up at five-eighth seven times this season, partnering Trindall once.
The pair loom as Cronulla’s first-choice playmakers for the next eight weeks or so, with Hynes requiring ankle surgery after a training incident on Monday.
In other changes for the match at PointsBet Stadium, Siona Katoa will return on the flank after missing Round 18 in Coffs Harbour due to concussion protocols.
After playing big minutes for the Jets in the NSW Cup, forwards Braden Hamlin-Uele, Toby Rudolf and Jesse Colquhoun have been added to Cronulla’s bench.
Colquhoun is set to play his first NRL match since last year’s qualifying final after suffering a foot injury in February’s pre-season trial against the Bulldogs.
Teig Wilton has reclaimed his starting spot in the second row, with Siosifa Talakai accepting a one-match suspension for a high tackle on Gold Coast’s Sam Verrills, while forward Jack Williams is unavailable because of a wrist sprain.
See the 22-man team list below.
1. WILL KENNEDY – proudly sponsored by Paragon Air Conditioning
2. SIONE KATOA – proudly sponsored by Ray White Sutherland Shire
3. JESSE RAMIEN – proudly sponsored by The Vinyl Room Nightclub Gymea
4. KAYAL IRO – proudly sponsored by Haymes Paint Kirrawee
5. RONALDO MULITALO – proudly sponsored by A Corp. Computers
6. DANIEL ATKINSON – proudly sponsored by John Ryan Freight Management
7. BRAYDON TRINDALL – proudly sponsored by Totally Workwear Kirrawee
8. ROYCE HUNT – proudly sponsored by Life Outdoors
9. BLAYKE BRAILEY – proudly sponsored by Elite Legal
10. OREGON KAUFUSI – proudly sponsored by O’Brien Palmer
11. BRITON NIKORA – proudly sponsored by Guardian Venue Management
12. TEIG WILTON – proudly sponsored by White Wolf Constructions
13. CAM McINNES (c) – proudly sponsored by Alltech Payroll
Interchange
14. JESSE COLQUHOUN – proudly sponsored by Murton Consulting
15. TOM HAZELTON – proudly sponsored by Shire Steel & Fabrication
16. TOBY RUDOLF – proudly sponsored by Sharp EIT Solutions
17. BRADEN HAMLIN-UELE – proudly sponsored by Modular Walls
Extended Bench
18. TUKU HAU TAPUHA
19. CHRIS VEA’ILA
20. BILLY BURNS
21. NIWHAI PURU
22. JAYDEN BERRELL
Coach
CRAIG FITZGIBBON – proudly sponsored by Aramex