SC rolling coverage: Johnson cleared

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Tom Sangster reveals the players to pick and who to avoid in SuperCoach 2016

Bevan French celebrates a try with Corey Norman. Picture: Mark Evans

KEEP up to date with the weekend’s SuperCoach action in our Round 15 rolling coverage.

Highlights, lowlights, injuries, judiciary dramas and talking points — it’s all here.

Bookmark this page and keep coming back throughout the weekend so you never miss a big SuperCoach moment.

WARRIORS V ROOSTERS

Warriors: 1 Tuimoala Lolohea 2 David Fusitua 3 Blake Ayshford 4 Solomone Kata 5 Ken Maumalo 6 Thomas Leuluai 7 Shaun Johnson 8 Albert Vete 9 Issac Luke 10 Ben Matulino 11 Bodene Thompson 12 Ryan Hoffman 13 Simon Mannering. Interchange: 14 Nathaniel Roache 15 Sam Lisone 16 Toafofoa 17 Charlie Gubb

1-17. Shaun Johnson (cork) cleared to play.

Roosters: 1 Latrell Mitchell 2 Daniel Tupou 3 Shaun Kenny-Dowall 4 Dale Copley 5 Joseph Manu 6 Ryan Matterson 7 Jackson Hastings 8 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9 Jake Friend (c) 10 Sam Moa 11 Sio Siua Taukeiaho 12 Mitchell Aubusson 13 Dylan Napa. Interchange: 14 Isaac Liu 15 Kane Evans 16 Connor Watson 17 Chris Smith

No changes. Mitchell Frei drops off the bench.

DRAGONS V STORM

Injuries/reports:

*Cameron Munster (ankle), Blake Green (calf) and Tim Glasby (shoulder) were ruled out before the match.

Talking points:

* Last week’s SuperCoach superstar Munster was replaced by Young Tonumaipea at fullback for the Storm, while 18-year old Queenslander Brodie Croft made his first-grade debut at halfback in place of Green.

* Dragons recruit Tariq Sims made his club debut, coming off the bench for a moderate 38 points from 33 minutes.

* Popular Melbourne utility Tohu Harris took the kicking duties for Melbourne in the absence of skipper Cameron Smith and kicked a penalty goal within the first five minutes, but missed a couple of conversions.

* Possible POD for the run home, Jack De Belin, again started on the Dragons interchange, playing 51 minutes for 46 points in his second match back from injury.

* Slade Griffin came into the Storm second-row for his first NRL appearance in three years.

Draons hooker Mitch Rein crosses for a try. Picture: AAP

Draons hooker Mitch Rein crosses for a try. Picture: AAPSource:AAP

Highlights:

* Dragons hooker Mitch Rein (77) stepped up for those coaches who bought him as bye coverage for Cameron Smith. He defied some average performances in the past few weeks to post his highest SC numbers this season, with a try, a linebreak and a monster 48 tackles, taking out the Perfect 8 honours before updates.

* For those 6399 brave coaches who still hold Gareth Widdop (59), well, you finally had something to crow about. The English pivot, who has lost $111k since the start of the season, stopped the SuperCoach rot with a polished display which included a try, 16 points from goals, 13 tackles and a forced dropout. The downside: he’s not going to face a severely understrength Melbourne outfit every week.

* He’s not on too many SuperCoach radars but Kevin Proctor (58) continued his recent big minutes and resulting decent SuperCoach scores. The Melbourne second-rower’s haul included 42 tackles and 19 points from hit-ups from his 80 minutes.

* Electric storm winger Suliasi Vunivalu (57) may only average 20 base points a match but when you score a try, or two, or three in each match your SC scores just keep coming. The Fijian flyer has now scored the most tries of any player in the NRL this season after another double against the Dragons.

Lowlights:

* Munster’s injury hurt more than just the Storm’s premiership points. Even if you caught the news before the match started, given the slim pickings of the bye round, most SuperCoaches wouldn’t have had anyone to replace the gun fullback. Spare a thought for those who also bought him in during the week.

* With the late withdrawal of Munster, coaches would have been hoping for a much better score from SuperCoach forward heavyweight Jesse Bromwich (50). While the big Kiwi will probably scrape a few more points after the updates, it will be well below his average and comes on the back of a season low 41 last week, despite playing for 72 minutes against the Dragons.

* Only three linebreaks in the entire match (take a bow Kurt Mann, Rein and Vunivalu) contributed to some low overall SuperCoach scoring.

Teams:

Dragons: 1. Jason Nightingale 2. Kalifa Faifai Loa 3. Euan Aitken 4. Tim Lafai 5. Kurt Mann 6. Gareth Widdop (c) 7. Benji Marshall 8. Leeson Ah Mau 9. Mitch Rein 10. Russell Packer 17. Jacob Host 12. Joel Thompson 13. Mike Cooper Interchange: 14. Jack de Belin 15. Will Matthews 18. Jake Marketo 23. Tariq Sims

Dragons recruit Tariq Sims will make his club debut from the bench, while Jacob Host will start in the second-row for Origin-bound Tyson Frizell.

Storm: 17. Young Tonumaipea 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. Cheyse Blair 4. Ryan Morgan 5. Marika Koroibete 6. Tohu Harris 21. Brodie Croft 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Kenny Bromwich 10. Jordan McLean 11. Kevin Proctor 22. Slade Griffin 13. Dale Finucane Interchange: 12. Felise Kaufusi 14. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 16. Christian Welch 20. Ben Hampton

Cameron Munster (ankle) has been replaced by Young Tonumaipea at fullback. Brodie Croft will play halfback replacing Blake Green (calf). Felise Kaufusi will start on the bench with Slade Griffin starting in the second row in his first NRL appearance in three years. Ben Hampton comes on to the interchange for the injured Tim Glasby.

RABBITOHS V EELS

Injuries/reports:

* Kyle Turner went off inside the final 20 minutes and did not return.

* John Sutton had his nose busted wide open by a swinging arm from Vai Toutai.

* Kaysa Pritchard will go for scans with a shoulder injury.

* Siosifa Talaki went off in the final minutes with an ankle injury.

Talking points:

* Semi Radradra opened the door for the VC loophole and his late, length of the field try pushed him to 61. A try assist for Bevan French’s second try could see his score be boosted.

* French himself scored a double but only managed 55 in total, a score that could see a hefty rise after updates.

* Manu Ma’u was a popular choice over the Origin period but his 48 was well below his usual standard.

Bevan French celebrates a try with Corey Norman. Picture: Mark Evans

Bevan French celebrates a try with Corey Norman. Picture: Mark EvansSource:News Corp Australia

Highlights:

* Michael Gordon’s excellent recent form continued after he scored 71.

* If you jumped on the Cody Walker Wagon you’ve been richly rewarded – Walker put up 69 points and assumed the goalkicking duties with Adam Reynolds out.

* Nathan Brown sails close to the wind but has emerged as a genuine POD option, scoring a try and landing 60 points.

Lowlights:

* Sam Burgess scored just 48, a major blow to the hordes of SuperCoach players who gave him the captaincy.

* Siosifa Talaki seems to be an unlikely cheapie option after he scored just 29 and went off injured late in the match.

1. Michael Gordon 2. Semi Radradra 3. Clint Gutherson 4. Vai Toutai 5. Bevan French 6. Kenny Edwards 7. Corey Norman 8. Daniel Alvaro 9. Isaac De Gois 10. Danny Wicks 11. Manu Ma’u 12. Beau Scott (c) 13. Tepai Moeroa Interchange: 14. Kaysa Pritchard 15. Peni Terepo 16. David Gower 17. Rory O’Brien

South Sydney Rabbitohs : 1 Alex Johnston 2 Dane Nielsen 3 Kirisome Auva’a 4 Siosifa Talakai 5 Aaron Gray 6 Cody Walker 7 Luke Keary 8 Thomas Burgess 9 Cameron McInnes 10 David Tyrrell 18 John Sutton 12 Kyle Turner 13 Sam Burgess Interchange: 11 Paul Carter 14 Damien Cook 15 Jason Clark 17 Nathan Brown

Tom Sangster reveals the winners and the losers from the round 15 teams

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