NRL

Wests Tigers speedster Kevin Naiqama is set to play his 10th test for the Bati after missing the Melanesian Cup defeat to Papua New Guinea in May.

Manly hooker Apoisai Koroisau and Knights forward Korbin Sims are also poised to pull on the Fiji jersey for the first time in 2016, while Lautoka-born Panthers centre Waqa Blake is in line to make his test debut at Apia Park.

Etuate Qionimacawa, who starred with a hat-trick in the May test against the Kumuls, is absent from the 18-strong squad, with Pio Seci and Saimoni Lomaloma are the only locally based players included.

RNZ reports the North Queensland Cowboys lock and Melbourne Storm half-back headed into the final round of counting level on 26 points, but neither managed to poll, meaning the league's top honour was shared for the second time in three years.

Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston followed in equal third on 22 points.

Kiwi's star Taumalolo said he was happy to share the award with Cronk, but was modest when talking about his own outstanding season.

"I don't think I changed compared to last year, just run harder," he said.

A big second half from the home side saw them move to within one win of a grand final berth, as North Queensland will now host Brisbane next weekend in a rematch of last year's decider.

An early second half try to prop Jesse Bromwich would give the Storm a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, as the Storm would quash the demons of last year's preliminary final loss to the Cowboys.

The opening 40 turned out to be a game of two halves, as Melbourne took it to the Cowboys from the outset and dominated the opening 20 minutes.

The Broncos centre has been forced to hang up the boots due to complications from a serious shoulder injury he suffered this year.

Despite surgery and intensive rehabilitation attempts since then, it has become apparent that his shoulder will never recover sufficiently to enable him play rugby league again.

As a result, Jack has accepted the advice from his medical team that he has suffered a career-ending injury, and has made the difficult decision to retire from the game, effective immediately.

Retiring Dragons co-captain Ben Creagh was named on Tuesday but will not play, with Joel Thompson to start in the back row. Tyson Frizell is also out, replaced by Will Matthews in the starting side. Tim Lafai and Luciano Leilua join the final bench.

In a lacklustre performance that will surely worry players and fans alike, the Bulldogs were outclassed 28-10 by a South Sydney side playing for nothing more than pride.  

Jamil served nine months of an 18 months jail sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company in 2014.

Hopoate was released earlier this year and has been playing reserve grade for Manly.

Hopoate Snr posted to Facebook on Wednesday, saying the NRL’s integrity unit was stopping Jamil from playing first grade this weekend.

“So my son Jamil misses out on debuting for the Eagles this week cause the NRL integrity unit said he’s not allowed,” he wrote.

Bring the family together or even the community to watch the Digicel Cup, the Intrust Super Cup, the NRL or the different genre of movies highlighted for you this week.

Check out our movie line up for the week we have horror movies like The Apparition and kids’ movies like Hotel Transylvania. We also have our weekly Hunters feature recapping their previous match.

Enjoy a long weekend of family entertainment only on Digicel Play.

26^th August at 8:10pm

A Mighty Heart on HBO Signature

Needing to win their final three games of the regular season – and results to go their way – the Red V were simply never in the contest as the Tricolours secured their third win from their past four starts to rise up to 13th spot on the Telstra Premiership ladder. 

There was no stopping the three-time defending minor premiers who belied their lowly ranking in what was a faultless performance from start to finish. 

Blake Ferguson ran for a whopping 235 metres, Mitchell Pearce added three try assists to his ever-growing tally, while Daniel Tupou had his best game of 2016. 

After an uninspiring first half at Hunter Stadium on Sunday, the Panthers and the Knights were locked at 6-6 at the break.

But Penrith dominated the second stanza, leaving the Knights to extend their club record losing streak to 15 games.

It also puts Newcastle into the top 10 on the all-time longest losing streak list.

The Knights enjoyed 60 per cent of the possession in the first half, but despite repeated opportunities they could not crack the Panthers' line.