THE 2017 NRL season is just days away and that means the first team-list Tuesday of the year is imminent.

Get all the latest team news ahead of Tuesday’s team announcements in the Round 1 edition of NRL Early Mail.

In the biggest news so far:

* Cronulla’s top fullback candidate Valentine Holmes has been ruled out of Thursday’s NRL season opener against Brisbane

* The Wests Tigers’ injury concerns appear to have been alleviated, with star halves Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks both training and expected to play in Friday night’s season opener

* The Gold Coast’s injury crisis has deepened with Titans centre John Olive facing up to three months on the sideline, and four more players — Konrad Hurrell, Jarryd Hayne, Dan Sarginson and Kevin Proctor — battling knee injuries ahead of their Saturday night clash

* The Broncos could pull a backline selection surprise, with former Cowboy Tautau Moga in line for a backline berth

* The Rabbitohs’ playmaking picture remains unclear, with Luke Kelly and Damien Cook the contenders to replace injured halfback Adam Reynolds ;

* The Knights will have three new recruits and two debutants in their squad to meet the Warriors in Auckland on Sunday.

* New recruit Shaun Fensom has trained for the first time as a Cowboy and is in line to make his club debut off the bench, while winger Antonio Winterstein is an outside chance of an early return

* The absence of Billy Slater means the Storm are yet to make a decision on who lines up at five-eighth and fullback for Friday’s clash with Canterbury.

PREDICTED ROUND 1 TEAMS

SHARKS V BRONCOS

8:05pm AEDT Thursday, Southern Cross Group Stadium

Sharks: Cronulla’s top fullback candidate Valentine Holmes has been ruled out of Thursday’s NRL season opener due to injury. Star back Holmes, tipped to fill the fullback spot vacated by Ben Barba, has been hampered in the pre-season with a hamstring complaint.

“He 100 per cent won’t play this week ... tearing a hamstring three or four weeks ago probably is just not worth the risk for him,” Sharks captain Paul Gallen told Sky Sports Radio on Tuesday.

Broncos: Is Wayne Bennett ready to pull a Round 1 selection shock? Former Cowboy Tautau Moga was training at left centre inside Corey Oates on Monday morning. It is a surprising inclusion given how well David Mead performed in the pre-season. Jordan Kahu has been relegated to the wing outside James Roberts despite showing his great potential as a centre at this year’s Nines.

Brisbane could also be without a utility for their season opener. Kodi Nikorima was training with the reserve grade players at Monday’s session while Benji Marshall (Achilles) was with the recovery group. Josh McGuire will take over from retired skipper Corey Parker at lock. Forward Joe Ofahengaue also trained with the reserve grade players, with Herman Ese’ese, Tevita Pangai Jnr and Jai Arrow all looking to be favourites to join Alex Glenn on the bench.

— Rikki-Lee Arnold

BULLDOGS V STORM

6pm AEDT Friday, Belmore Sports Ground

Bulldogs: New recruit Brenko Lee is the frontrunner to replace Sam Perrett (retired) on the wing. The centre spot vacated by Curtis Rona (rugby) is likely to be filled by Kerrod Holland.

Richie Kennar is also an option in the backline, but he is currently injured. Moses Mbye suffered an arm injury during the final trial but has been cleared of serious injury and will expected to play.

Storm: Star fullback Billy Slater’s injury means the Storm are yet to make a decision on who lines up at five-eighth and fullback for Friday’s clash with Canterbury.

Cameron Munster has trained in the halves all off-season but could make a switch back to fullback with Brodie Croft to start. Croft will travel with the side to Sydney.

Utility Young Tonumaipea could also slot straight in at fullback with Munster remaining at six.

— Russell Gould

Read more on Melbourne Storm’s Round 1 dilemma

RABBITOHS V TIGERS

8:05pm AEDT Friday, ANZ Stadium

Rabbitohs: The Rabbitohs’ playmaking picture remains unclear, but John Sutton did give some insight as to who will be the likely replacement for injured halfback Adam Reynolds.

Luke Kelly and Damien Cook are the main contenders for the No.7 jersey, with the former Eel slightly ahead according to Sutton.

“Luke Kelly has been training there so that’s the other option. For me I’d think so (he’s the best option) ... he’s played there all his life and he’s been really good this preseason,” Sutton said on Monday.

Star forward Sam Burgess also endorsed Kelly as the player most likely to come into the starting side.

“We’ve got Luke Kelly who is an out and out seven, I would imagine the team would look that way. We’ll train today and see what happens,” he said.

Sutton is another option to play in the halves, which would see Cody Walker switch to halfback.

“If he puts me back there I’ve played there a lot, I don’t mind going back and playing in the halves,” Sutton said.

— Fatima Kdouh

Tigers: Halves Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks have both trained on Tuesday morning and are expected to play in Friday night’s season opener.

Fullback James Tedesco and new recruit Jamal Idris also took part in the ball-work session.

Brooks and Tedesco both have ongoing hamstring issues and Moses a niggling foot injury ahead of Friday night’s clash with South Sydney.

But while Moses was rested from a Monday session he was back out on the field at Concord Oval on Tuesday morning with the rest of the team.

Idris also appeared in high spirits on the eve of his much awaited comeback to the NRL.

— Nick Walshaw

DRAGONS V PANTHERS

4:30pm AEDT Saturday, UOW Jubilee Oval

Dragons: Experience is set to hand Josh McCrone a starting spot ahead of exciting youngster Jai Field at halfback. Marquee signing Paul Vaughan will slot straight into the starting pack, with up and coming forward Luciano Leilua to snare a spot on the bench. Matt Dufty is sidelined with a knee injury for 2-4 weeks.

Panthers: Winger Josh Mansour’s absence (knee) was compounded when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak also succumbed to injury (foot). Coach Anthony Griffin will likely turn to Dean Whare and Petu Hiku to fill the gaps left in the backline.

Te Maire Martin (shoulder) is back and will play at five-eighth, this sees Bryce Cartwright shift to the backrow. Mitch Rein should snare a bench spot with Peter Wallace still ahead of him as first choice hooker.

COWBOYS V RAIDERS

7pm AEDT Saturday, 1300SMILES Stadium

Cowboys: New recruit Shaun Fensom trained for the first time as a Cowboy, with the former Raider a chance to play off the bench on Saturday. Meanwhile winger Antonio Winterstein has started running as he returns from an ankle injury.

The club originally feared he could be out for three or four rounds but now he is an outside chance to face the Raiders. Young gun Kalyn Ponga had been favoured to take Winterstein’s spot on the wing.

— Rikki-Lee Arnold

Raiders: There is still no clear word on who will replace Jarrod Croker at left centre with Elliott Whitehead emerging as a shock contender over Englishman Jordan Turner. Turner could still earn a place on the bench or at second row if overlooked out wide.

Fairfax Media reports that Whitehead has trained at left centre with Sia Soliola training at second row on the right side. Luke Bateman or Joseph Tapine would be expected to replace Soliola at lock. The departure of Edrick Lee means Nick Cotric is a near certainty to debut on the left wing. Jeff Lima is expected to start at prop for the suspended Junior Paulo.

TITANS V ROOSTERS

9pm Saturday AEDT, Cbus Super Stadium

Titans: Gold Coast’s injury crisis has deepened with Titans centre John Olive facing up to three months on the sideline.

Olive is set to undergo surgery on a torn pectoral muscle on Tuesday, ruling him out of the first half of the NRL season.

The timing could not be worse for the Titans, who have been ravaged by injuries leading into Saturday’s season-opener against the Roosters at Cbus Super Stadium.

Konrad Hurrell, Jarryd Hayne, Dan Sarginson and Kevin Proctor have been battling knee injuries and the only certainties of those to play the Roosters is co-captain Proctor and Hurrell.

Nathan Peats, Pat Politoni and Ryan Simpkins will miss the game while Nathan Davis could be overlooked given his future at the club is uncertain.

Henry is expected to name Hurrell and Sarginson as his centres with Anthony Don on one wing. William Zillman and Daniel Vidot are in contention for the left wing position.

Utility Karl Lawton will secure a position on the bench as a back-up hooker for Tyrone Roberts.

— Travis Meyn

Roosters: Five-eighth Luke Keary is one of two new faces expected to line-up against the Titans, including fullback Michael Gordon, with young gun Latrell Mitchell moving to the centres.

WARRIORS V KNIGHTS

2pm AEDT Sunday, Mt Smart Stadium

Warriors: Playmaker Ata Hingano will start the season as Shaun Johnson’s halves partner with Kieran Foran not set to return until Round 3. Manu Vatuvei (knee) has battled fitness issues for much of the pre-season and if he’s not available he’ll be replaced by Ken Maumalo.

Albert Vete is expected to pip Sam Lisone and Charlie Gubb as starting prop, with Ben Matulino (knee) out indefinitely.

Knights: Newcastle will have three new recruits and two debutants in their squad to meet the Warriors in Auckland.

Jamie Buhrer, Josh Starling and Ken Sio will debut for their new club in the starting side while Luke Yates and Sam Stone, the son of former coach Rick Stone, will make their NRL debuts off the bench.

The Knights squad will be: Dylan Phythian, Nathan Ross, Peter Mata’utia, Dane Gagai, Ken Sio, Brock Lamb, Trent Hodkinson, Josh Starling, Danny Levi, Daniel Saifiti, Sione Mata’utia, Jamie Buhrer, Mitch Barnett. Bench: Jacob Saifiti, Jack Stockwell, Luke Yates, Sam Stone.

— Barry Toohey

SEA EAGLES V EELS

4pm Sunday, Brookvale Oval

Sea Eagles: Much of the Manly squad for their clash with Parramatta remains a mystery but Curtis Sironen and Frank Winterstein are assured to start in the second row while Martin Taupau will play prop.

Eels: Backrower Kenny Edwards’ indefinite suspension means David Gower is likely to take his place on the bench alongside Nathan Brown, Frank Pritchard and either Isaac De Gois or Cameron King. Kaysa Pritchard is expected to start at hooker.