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Timmins to start at Lock in second week back
International centre Shaun Timmins will start at lock for the Dragons in his second week back from knee surgery in the Easter Saturday clash with the Bulldogs at Telstra Stadium.
Timmins, 26, is one of three changes to the Dragons line-up which was humbled by the Sea Eagles last weekend.
Timmins and John Cross have swapped with Cross going to the bench; while prop Chris Leikvoll and Premier League captain and five-eighth Damien Bower will replace Nathan Tutt and Ryan Tandy on the bench.
It will be the first NRL game for the pair this season, with Leikvoll set to make his 100th NRL appearance and Bower his fourth. Leikvoll returned from a knee injury last week and, along with Bower, played in the Dragons Premier League side which beat Manly 60-6.
Timmins said that apart from a swollen knee, he was happy with how he came through his first game in almost seven months.
âMy fitness was a little down, but Iâm pretty happy with the way I went,â Timmins said. âIt would have been great to score a try when I made that break, but it wasnât to be.
âThe pleasing thing was how good my knee felt at the time. Itâs pulled up a bit swollen but thatâs to be expected.â
Timmins said he was happy to play lock until his match fitness improved but was hopeful of returning to the centres.
âI played there a bit last year, but I still want to play in the centres,â he said. âI just need to work on improving my match fitness.â
TEAM LIST â DRAGONS (V BULLDOGS)
Saturday, April 19
Telstra Stadium (NRL) â 5.30pm
NRL (Rd 6)
Coach: Nathan Brown
1. Ben HORNBY
2. Amos ROBERTS
3. Mark GASNIER
4. Matt COOPER
5. Hassan SALEH
6. Trent BARRETT (c)
7. Brett FIRMAN
8. Luke BAILEY
9. Mark RIDDELL
10. Ian DONNELLY
11. Brent KITE
12. Lance THOMPSON
13. Shaun TIMMINS
14. Chris LEIKVOLL
15. John CROSS
16. Dean YOUNG
17. Damien BOWER
--------------------------------------------------
Belmore Oval (Premier League) â 12.45pm
Premier Division (Rd 2)
Coach: Michael Potter
1. Reece SIMMONDS
2. John WILSHERE
3. David HOWELL
4. Wise KATIVERATA
5. Wes NAIQAMA
6. Dean BYRNE (c)
7. Mathew HEAD
8. Ryan TANDY
9. Peter ELLIS
10. Ashton SIMS
11. Chris NERO
12. Nathan TUTT
13. Henry PERENARA
14. Brett WHITE
15. Bryan NORRIE
16. Gary McBRIDE
17. Keiran KERR
20. Ryan POWELL
21. Michael HOWELL
--------------------------------------------------
- League Unlimited
International centre Shaun Timmins will start at lock for the Dragons in his second week back from knee surgery in the Easter Saturday clash with the Bulldogs at Telstra Stadium.
Timmins, 26, is one of three changes to the Dragons line-up which was humbled by the Sea Eagles last weekend.
Timmins and John Cross have swapped with Cross going to the bench; while prop Chris Leikvoll and Premier League captain and five-eighth Damien Bower will replace Nathan Tutt and Ryan Tandy on the bench.
It will be the first NRL game for the pair this season, with Leikvoll set to make his 100th NRL appearance and Bower his fourth. Leikvoll returned from a knee injury last week and, along with Bower, played in the Dragons Premier League side which beat Manly 60-6.
Timmins said that apart from a swollen knee, he was happy with how he came through his first game in almost seven months.
âMy fitness was a little down, but Iâm pretty happy with the way I went,â Timmins said. âIt would have been great to score a try when I made that break, but it wasnât to be.
âThe pleasing thing was how good my knee felt at the time. Itâs pulled up a bit swollen but thatâs to be expected.â
Timmins said he was happy to play lock until his match fitness improved but was hopeful of returning to the centres.
âI played there a bit last year, but I still want to play in the centres,â he said. âI just need to work on improving my match fitness.â
TEAM LIST â DRAGONS (V BULLDOGS)
Saturday, April 19
Telstra Stadium (NRL) â 5.30pm
NRL (Rd 6)
Coach: Nathan Brown
1. Ben HORNBY
2. Amos ROBERTS
3. Mark GASNIER
4. Matt COOPER
5. Hassan SALEH
6. Trent BARRETT (c)
7. Brett FIRMAN
8. Luke BAILEY
9. Mark RIDDELL
10. Ian DONNELLY
11. Brent KITE
12. Lance THOMPSON
13. Shaun TIMMINS
14. Chris LEIKVOLL
15. John CROSS
16. Dean YOUNG
17. Damien BOWER
--------------------------------------------------
Belmore Oval (Premier League) â 12.45pm
Premier Division (Rd 2)
Coach: Michael Potter
1. Reece SIMMONDS
2. John WILSHERE
3. David HOWELL
4. Wise KATIVERATA
5. Wes NAIQAMA
6. Dean BYRNE (c)
7. Mathew HEAD
8. Ryan TANDY
9. Peter ELLIS
10. Ashton SIMS
11. Chris NERO
12. Nathan TUTT
13. Henry PERENARA
14. Brett WHITE
15. Bryan NORRIE
16. Gary McBRIDE
17. Keiran KERR
20. Ryan POWELL
21. Michael HOWELL
--------------------------------------------------
- League Unlimited
