LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
In a surprising turn of events, the Melbourne Storm made some unexpected changes to their team just moments before their preliminary final clash against the Penrith Panthers.
According to news.com.au, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Bronson Garlick have been brought in, replacing Harry Grant and Christian Welch who have been moved to the interchange bench.
This last-minute adjustment has certainly raised some eyebrows and added an element of suspense to the game.
Garlick's inclusion in the Storm squad comes at the expense of Tyran Wishart, who unfortunately missed out on making the final cut.
It's a tough blow for Wishart, but an opportunity for Garlick to prove himself on the big stage.
Earlier in the week, Grant and Welch were named in the Storm's starting side, so this sudden change is unexpected.
It will be interesting to see how these adjustments impact the team's performance and strategy.
On the Panthers' side, they have their own injury concerns to deal with.
However, both Jahrome Hughes and Jarome Luai have managed to overcome their injuries and will start the game.
Hughes had been in doubt due to a calf problem, while Luai will be playing with a shoulder injury.
As for the team lineups, the Panthers have Dylan Edwards, Sunia Turuva, Izack Tago, Stephen Crichton, Brian To'o, Jarome Luai, and Nathan Cleary in their starting lineup.
The forward pack includes Moses Leota, Mitch Kenny, James Fisher-Harris, Scott Sorensen, Liam Martin, and Isaah Yeo.
The bench consists of Jack Cogger, Lindsay Smith, Spencer Leniu, and Luke Garner.
With these unexpected team adjustments and injury concerns, the NRL Finals clash between the Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm is shaping up to be an intense and unpredictable game.
Rugby league fans will be eagerly anticipating the live scores and updates to see how these changes affect the outcome of the match.