Payne Haas and Cameron Murray will break from NSW Origin camp and make the three-hour round trip to Sydney to support good mate Jai Arrow.
South Sydney will on Thursday night play their first home game since Arrow announced he had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease and was forced to immediately retire.
In a special touch, Souths have named Arrow in the No.23 jersey. Arrow will ring the club’s Legacy Bell before kick-off against the Broncos. Players from both clubs will form a guard of honour and a video tribute will be screened at Accor Stadium.
Arrow, 30, was invited to Melbourne for the Big Freeze coin toss before the Collingwood-Melbourne AFL blockbuster on Monday. The annual fixture has become a tribute to the late Neale Daniher, a much-loved AFL player and coach who fought MND after being diagnosed with the condition in 2013.
Arrow started his career at the Broncos, then spent three years on the Gold Coast before linking with Souths.
Haas, who attended Keebra Park High with Arrow, crossed paths with him in his early years at Red Hill and will join Souths next year, said: “It’s a really important night for both clubs, and I want to make sure I’m there to support our boys and to support Jai.
“‘Jaiza’ is the toughest bloke on the field and off the field. I know he’ll beat this battle.
“I couldn’t even watch the interview [on Nine with Danika Mason]. Knowing Jaiza, he’s such a comedian, he’s the man, and seeing that was so tough.
“I know he’ll come through the other side That’s just who Jaiza is.”
The NRL has already discussed a promotion to raise funds and awareness about MND tentatively dubbed “Jai July”, while the South Sydney-Newcastle clash on July 12 – Arrow’s birthday – will see fans asked to bring donations for MND charities.
The Broncos will also have Arrow’s name and club number, 222, embroidered on their jerseys, which will then be auctioned off and the proceeds donated to the forward and his young family.
Brisbane will be without Haas and fellow Origin representatives Kotoni Staggs and Reece Walsh, while Souths are missing Murray and Campbell Graham, who has been sidelined by another calf strain.
Meanwhile, Benji Marshall has made major changes to Wests Tigers’ starting side following Sunday’s 68-0 thrashing by NRL heavyweights Penrith.
None of Tino Tavana, Charlie Murray or Mavrik Geyer will start in Sunday’s clash against Gold Coast, which follows the second-biggest loss in the joint venture’s history.
Marshall, who labelled the Tigers “brain-dead” after full-time on Sunday, has remodelled his backline by cutting Tavana, shifting Heamasi Makasini to a wing and recalling Starford To’a.
Taylan May returns from his shoulder injury at centre, pushing Sunia Turuva to his preferred wing spot, with Jeral Skelton dropping out of the squad due to HIA protocols. Tony Sukkar comes into the back row for Geyer, with Sione Fainu listed to start at lock in place of Murray.
The Tigers have also brought Latu Fainu in at hooker in place of NSW representative Api Koroisau, while injured Royce Hunt drops out of the team.
