While Ricky Leutele was spotted disembarking the plane at Gold Coast airport yesterday, the Sharks centre will not be included in the 17-man squad for the match with the Titans tonight.
Missing for three weeks after injuring an ankle in the victory over the Eels, Leutele recovered sufficiently to be considered for tonight’s game, however Coach Shane Flanagan has decided to stick solid with the interchange bench which helped his team scored a comfortable win over the Knights.
Leutele has travelled to the Gold Coast as 18th man.
In the only change from the win over Newcastle, the Sharks welcome James Maloney back into their team, with the NSW number six sitting out the game last weekend with a minor groin strain.
Maloney’s inclusion meant Fa’amanu Brown turned out for the Jets on Saturday, with the Sharks utility playing a leading hand in the Newtown win over the Panthers.
As has been his habit, Flanagan will again start Matt Prior in tonight’s game, with Sam Tagataese going back to the bench.
Much conjecture has centred around the Titans line up, with regular hooker Nathan Peats rumoured to be a late withdrawal with a hamstring complaint. The official Titans team list will be revealed shortly.
NRL TEAM LIST – Round 21
Sharks v Titans
Monday, August 1
Cbus Stadium
Kick-off – 7.00pm
1. BEN BARBA
2. SOSAIA FEKI
3. JACK BIRD
4. GERARD BEALE
5. VALENTINE HOLMES
6. JAMES MALONEY
7. CHAD TOWNSEND
8. ANDRW FIFITA
9. MICHAEL ENNIS
16. MATT PRIOR
11. LUKE LEWIS
12. WADE GRAHAM
13. PAUL GALLEN
Interchange
14. JOSEPH PAULO
15. CHRIS HEIGHINGTON
10. SAM TAGATAESE
17. JAYSON BUKUYA
