Newy 87.8 FM – Newcastle Knights forward Francis Manuleleua has been named to start in the back row for Friday night's Elimination Final against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium.
The selection comes less than two weeks after the club confirmed the second-rower dislocated his elbow in Newcastle's Round 26 loss to the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland on Sunday 30 August, which the Warriors won 46-32.
In a Rehab Report published on 2 September, the club said scans confirmed no fractures, and that Manuleleua had entered an intensive rehabilitation program as he pushed to be available for the finals campaign.
Head coach Justin Holbrook named his 22-man squad on Tuesday. The club said the 22-year-old's inclusion was "a massive boost for the squad".
Phoenix Crossland, Tyson Frizell and Dominic Young also return for the Finals Week 1 clash on Friday 11 September. Jacob Saifiti is out through suspension, while Trey Mooney is sidelined with a scapula injury.
Mooney suffered a fractured scapula in the same Round 26 game against the Warriors and is expected to play no further part in the 2026 season, the club said.
Auckland-born Manuleleua joined the Knights ahead of the 2025 season and made his NRL debut in Round 3 this year against the Warriors. He has made 11 appearances and scored two tries in 2026, and is contracted until at least the end of the 2027 season.
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