Updated
The Raiders have again left out Blake Ferguson from their squad for Sunday's encounter with defending premiers Melbourne at Canberra Stadium.
Ferguson was cleared to return to playing duties last week after completing an alcohol rehabilitation program following a series of off-field incidents.
But Raiders coach David Furner left him out of his line-up for last Saturday's match against St George Illawarra and has chosen to stick with the same squad that beat the Dragons 22-18 in Wollongong.
Cronulla, meanwhile, welcomes back captain Paul Gallen to face the Warriors in Auckland on Sunday.
It will be Gallen's first appearance on the playing field since suffering a foot injury in State of Origin II last month.
Chris Sandow's days at Parramatta look numbered after he was overlooked once again despite an injury to starting half-back Luke Kelly.
Sandow is into the second season of a four-year deal with the Eels, who he joined from South Sydney, but will once again run out for Wentworthville in the NSW Cup this week against the Vulcans in Auckland.
This is despite an injury to Luke Kelly with the half-back role being filled by Ben Roberts, one of 11 players told by coach Ricky Stuart he would be leaving the club at the end of the year.
Former Bulldogs playmaker Roberts will wear the number seven jumper against Manly, with rookie Api Pewhairangi being promoted to first grade to play five-eighth.
The Eels are looking to avoid a 10th straight loss to their bitter rivals, with the match having the added spice of Steve Matai and Mitchell Allgood going head to head for the first time since their brawl earlier this month at Brookvale Oval.
That match saw Eels prop Allgood sent off for punching Matai, with the New Zealand centre vowing to get revenge on the 24-year-old at Parramatta Stadium.
South Sydney young gun Luke Keary is once again named on an extended bench for the ladder leaders after his two-try salvo off the bench against the Gold Coast on Saturday.
The young playmaker is named on an extended bench with veteran Matt King keeping his spot in the side after a brilliant return to action against the Titans following almost a year on the sidelines with a badly broken arm.
King is still mulling over his future but says the prospect of winning a premiership forced him to keep playing.
"This might be a bit of a selfish answer but, if we were coming dead last, I don't know if I would have had the motivation to come back to play a few games and get the wooden spoon," King said.
"The fact the boys are playing awesome and I was a chance of being a part of that, it makes running up and down hills and getting up out of bed at 6am to do weights a lot easier."
Newcastle must do without former representative props Willie Mason and Kade Snowden for the home clash with Brisbane at Hunter Stadium after Mason was ruled out for a month with a broken cheekbone.
Snowden is suspended so David Fa'alogo and Zane Tetevano will make up the Knights front row in a match both sides must win to keep alive finals aspirations.
Sonny Bill Williams is out for the Sydney Roosters after taking the early guilty plea ahead of Friday's clash with Penrith.
Mitch Aubusson comes into the starting line-up in place of Williams.
AAP/ABC
Topics: nrl, rugby-league, sport, canberra-2600
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