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Jasper Bruce

Struggling South Sydney wield the axe but back Hawkins

Dean Hawkins has kept his place in a misfiring South Sydney team for the match against Canterbury. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

Besieged South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou has dropped two more players as he looks to spark his winless side against Canterbury on Good Friday.

New recruit Sean Keppie and utility Siliva Havili have become the latest players to pay the price for Souths' torrid start to the year after Lachlan Ilias was cut before Friday's big loss to the Sydney Roosters.

Shaq Mitchell and Michael Chee Kam join the bench for last-placed Souths, with Thomas Burgess promoted to the starting side and Havili listed as 18th man.

Called in for round three, Dean Hawkins again starts at halfback against the Bulldogs, consigning Ilias to NSW Cup for a second consecutive week.

Latrell Mitchell remains at fullback despite calls to consider shifting him back to the centres, his position of choice as a young gun with the Roosters.

"Obviously we haven't been going too well," Souths prop Tevita Tatola said on Monday.

"We're working on everything we need to work on. All we can focus on is next week and that's the Bulldogs."

Ahead of their Easter Monday clash with Wests Tigers, Parramatta have given young gun Blaize Talagi the nod to start in the halves opposite Dylan Brown.

Talagi, who made his NRL debut in the centres last week, has the chance for an extended spell at five-eighth as halfback Mitch Moses prepares to miss up to eight weeks.

Maika Sivo returns from a three-game suspension and replaces Talagi in the outside backs.

Cronulla have been forced into mass changes with Toby Rudolf (ankle), Dale Finucane (face) and Royce Hunt (calf) all ruled out.

The injury woes have forced Siosifa Talakai to the back row in the team to face Canberra on Easter Sunday.

Tuku Hau Tapuha and Daniel Atkinson will join Craig Fitzgibbon's bench when the Sharks fight to bounce back from their upset loss to the Tigers.

The Raiders have again overlooked State of Origin representative Corey Horsburgh, who is expected to play NSW Cup for a second-straight week.

Raiders outside back Albert Hopoate drops out of the side after burning his arm while cooking on Monday night.

Warriors favourite son Roger Tuivasa-Sheck moves back to fullback to replace the concussed Taine Tuaupiki when the Kiwi side hosts Newcastle for a semi-final rematch.

Canterbury's Josh Addo-Carr has been named on an extended bench to face the Rabbitohs so he could return from his AC joint injury at Connor Tracey's expense.

Gold Coast fullback Jayden Campbell will play his first NRL game of the year when the Titans look to open their account against the Dolphins this Saturday.

Campbell had been sidelined with a knee injury and could be joined in the game-day side by newly fit David Fifita, who is listed as 18th player.

Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary has been named to return from concussion to face Penrith on Thursday, replacing the injured Sandon Smith in the halves.

Terrell May substitutes in for Lindsay Collins in the Roosters' front row after the Queensland front-rower reported a minor hamstring issue.

As expected, new recruit Brad Schneider will make his club debut in place of Penrith's injured halfback Nathan Cleary (hamstring), while Mavrik Geyer, son of club legend Mark, plays his first NRL game.

Corey Oates joins Brisbane's bench for the intra-state clash against North Queensland on Friday, when Adam Reynolds will make his return from a knee injury.

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