Ben Hunt has opened up on the Broncos’ decision to drop Josiah Karapani, warning the talented outside back needs to learn his lesson or risk being dumped by the club completely.

Angus Crichton is in doubt to play again this season after it was revealed he underwent surgery on his foot.

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Meanwhile, the Storm have a much-needed bye this week but new mid-season recruit Oryn Keeley will be injected straight into the team when Melbourne plays next round after confirmation Ativalu Lisati will miss at least six to eight weeks with a syndesmosis injury.

FRIDAY JULY 3

Penrith Panthers vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs @ CommBank Stadium, 8pm

Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Thomas Jenkins 3. Izack Tago 4. Paul Alamoti 5. Brian To’o 6. Blaize Talagi 7. Jack Cogger 8. Moses Leota 9. Freddy Lussick 10. Liam Henry 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Luke Garner 13. Lindsay Smith 14. Billy Scott 15. Kalani Going 16. Billy Phillips 17. Luron Patea 18. Jack Cole 19. Sione Fonua 20. Zakauri Clarke 21. Jaxen Edgar 23. Tom Ale

Late mail: No changes are expected for the Panthers at this stage, with Mitch Kenny (leg) and Casey McLean (quad) still at least one week away.

Rabbitohs team: 1. Jye Gray 2. Dayne Jennings 3. Latrell Siegwalt 4. Jack Wighton 5. Edward Kosi 6. Cody Walker 7. Ashton Ward 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Brandon Smith 10. Keaon Koloamatangi 11. David Fifita 12. Tallis Duncan 13. Lachlan Hubner 14. Jamie Humphreys 15. Euan Aitken 16. Liam Le Blanc 17. John Radel 18. Matthew Dufty 19. Jayden Sullivan 20. Moala Graham-Taufa 21. Peter Mamouzelos 22. Thomas Fletcher

Late mail: To come.

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SATURDAY JULY 4

St George Illawarra Dragons vs. Wests Tigers @ Jubilee Stadium, 5:30pm

Dragons team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Setu Tu 3. Mathew Feagai 4. Valentine Holmes 5. Tyrell Sloan 6. Daniel Atkinson 7. Kyle Flanagan 8. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga 9. Damien Cook 10. Toby Couchman 11. Dylan Egan 12. Hamish Stewart 13. Ryan Couchman 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Luciano Leilua 16. Josh Kerr 17. Emre Guler 18. Jacob Halangahu 19. Lyhkan King-Togia 20. Hame Sele 21. Moses Suli 22. Christian Tuipulotu

Late mail: The only late change the Dragons could make would be the inclusion of Moses Suli, who has been named on the extended bench as he eyes a return from the hip injury he suffered in the warm-up for the Newcastle game. Tyrell Sloan would be the likely man to make way.

Tigers team: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Heamasi Makasini 4. Starford To’a 5. Jeral Skelton 6. Jock Madden 7. Adam Doueihi 8. Terrell May 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Fonua Pole 11. Tony Sukkar 12. Sione Fainu 13. Alex Twal 14. Josese Lanyon 15. Bunty Afoa 16. Alex Seyfarth 17. Latu Fainu 18. Faaletino Tavana 19. Charlie Murray 20. Javon Andrews 21. Heath Mason 22. Mavrik Geyer

Late mail: The Tigers aren’t expected to make any late changes, with Alex Twal making a welcome return and set to line up despite initially being named at lock last week before being a late scratching as he returns from his knee injury. “I’m pretty confident in the way that I train and prepare myself that whatever role Benji needs me to play this week, I’m sure I will do my job for the team,’’ Twal said.

Brisbane Broncos vs. Cronulla Sharks @ Suncorp Stadium, 7:35pm

Broncos team: 1. Hayze Perham 2. Grant Anderson 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Deine Mariner 6. Thomas Duffy 7. Ben Hunt 8. Va’a Semu 9. Cory Paix 10. Preston Riki 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Xavier Willison 14. Blake Mozer 15. Ben Talty 16. Jaiyden Hunt 17. Jesse Arthars 18. Josh Rogers 19. Luke Gale 20. Joshua Coric 21. Kane Bradley 22. Tupou Francis

Late mail: Ben Hunt, who fills in at halfback this week for Adam Reynolds, has opened up on Josiah Karapani’s axing from the Broncos line-up and delivered some pointed advice to his younger teammate. Hunt revealed that the club’s senior players had a conversation with Karapani after he was allegedly caught committing a string of driving and traffic offences on Sunday. It is the second time Karapani has been dropped after another off-field incident earlier in the year and Hunt warned the winger needs to learn from this mistake or risk more permanent consequences.“We had a conversation about that and Kotoni’s pretty close with him, so he went and had a pretty good chat with Josiah and he’s been stood down,” Hunt said.

Brisbane Broncos player Josiah Karapani Picture Brisbane BroncosSource: Supplied Source Known

“He knows he’s in the wrong, but he also knows it’s the second time he’s made that mistake and you can’t keep making those mistakes or you’re gonna find your way out of this club pretty quick,” added Hunt.

“So he definitely knows where he stands, and as a leadership group we’re happy to move on with where we’re at. After that first mistake he made, you you sort of feel that he’s on the right track and he’s doing everything right, but he’s just slipped up again.

“I really like Josiah. I get along with him, he’s a great fella, and he knows he’s in the wrong. He knows he’s made a mistake. We’ve all been young kids before and we’ll get around him and look after him and he’ll find his way back.”

Ben Hunt spoke about Josiah Karapani on Wednesday.Source: FOX SPORTS

Meanwhile, Hunt also said he was excited to see Deine Mariner return from his freakish thigh injury which required limb-saving, telling reporters the winger had been “flying around” at training in recent weeks and “still has his burst”. Gehamat Shibasaki also returns from injury in a boost, especially in defence with Hunt calling him Brisbane’s “glue” on the left edge. The Broncos have battled what Hunt described as a “crazy” injury toll this year and it won’t be easy this week without their Origin stars, including Payne Haas. Va’a Semu will help fill the void up front and Hunt said the Broncos have to play into his strengths. “He’s definitely a big body and that probably is his strength — his carry with the footy,” Hunt said of Semu. “He runs hard and he’s got a quick play-the-ball. That’s something we’ve got to lean into, trying to get him as much as we can early in a set to lay a platform for us.”

Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. KL Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Thomas Hazelton 9. Jayden Berrell 10. Jesse Colquhoun 11. Billy Burns 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Hohepa Puru 15. Oregon Kaufusi 16. Siosifa Talakai 17. Tuku Hau Tapuha 18. Mawene Hiroti 19. Harrison Hassett 20. Niwhai Puru 21. Samuel Stonestreet 22. Liam Ison

Late mail: Cronulla’s depth will be tested this week with the Sharks down a number of Origin players, but they aren’t expected to make any late changes with none of their players under an injury cloud.

Sharks’ season on the line | 00:48

SUNDAY JULY 5

Parramatta Eels vs. Manly Sea Eagles @ CommBank Stadium, 2pm

Eels team: 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Brian Kelly 3. Jordan Samrani 4. Sean Russell 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Ronald Volkman 7. Jonah Pezet 8. Luca Moretti 9. Tallyn Da Silva 10. Jack Williams 11. Kelma Tuilagi 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. Jack de Belin 14. Dylan Walker 15. Sam Tuivaiti 16. Teancum Brown 17. Harrison Edwards 18. Joash Papali’i 19. Charlie Guymer 20. Apa Twidle 21. Ryley Smith 22. Toni Mataele

Late mail: To come.

Sea Eagles team: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jason Saab 3. Clayton Faulalo 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Lehi Hopoate 6. Joey Walsh 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Jake Simpkin 10. Kobe Hetherington 11. Corey Waddell 12. Ben Trbojevic 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Josh Feledy 15. Nathan Brown 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Simione Laiafi 18. Aaron Schoupp 19. Zaidas Muagututia 20. Hugo Hart 21. Blake Wilson 22. Fletcher Baker

Late mail: To come.

Newcastle Knights vs. Dolphins @ McDonald Jones Stadium, 4:05pm

Knights team: 1. Fletcher Sharpe 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Fletcher Hunt 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Sandon Smith 7. Dylan Brown 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Trey Mooney 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Jermaine McEwen 13. Mathew Croker 14. Harrison Graham 15. Tyson Frizell 16. Cody Hopwood 17. Thomas Cant 18. Lachlan Crouch 19. Francis Manuleleua 20. Kyle McCarthy 21. Tyson Gamble 22. Elijah Leaumoana

Late mail: To come.

Dolphins team: 1. Trai Fuller 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Tevita Naufahu 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Brad Schneider 8. Felise Kaufusi 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Francis Molo 11. Connelly Lemuelu 12. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 13. Morgan Knowles 14. Kurt Donoghoe 15. Tom Gilbert 16. Ray Stone 17. Brian Pouniu 18. Sebastian Su’a 19. John Fineanganofo 20. Sam Elliott 21. LJ Nonu 22. Zac Garton

Late mail: The Dolphins will be without Isaiya Katoa for at least a month after confirming he underwent successful surgery on his left forearm after sustaining a fracture against the Warriors last Saturday. “Isaiya had surgery yesterday on the fracture and all went well with the procedure,” said Dolphins’ Head of Performance Jeremy Hickmans. “He is expected to be out for between four and six weeks, depending on how his recovery progresses.” It puts Katoa in the frame to return shortly after their Round 21 bye.

BYE – Roosters, Bulldogs, Raiders, Cowboys, Storm, Titans, Warriors.

The Roosters have released a statement revealing injured forward Angus Crichton has undergone surgery for a navicular injury in his right foot. Rehabilitation length will be known in the coming weeks but it’s appearing more and more likely that Crichton may have played his last game for the club. He’s off to rugby union from next season. “He has commenced early rehabilitation and an update on rehabilitation length will be provided when further post operative scanning has taken place in the next few weeks,” the statement read. If the Chooks make the finals, Crichton is a chance of returning but that’s considered a best case scenario at this stage.