Mullen, Davico, Farah & Ryles

Newcastle five-eighth Jarrod Mullen and interchange prop Luke Davico have been ruled out of tomorrow's match against Manly after both failed to overcome injuries. Teenage star Mullen missed last Sunday's win against the Sydney Roosters with a bruised sternum and has failed to recover in time for tomorrow's match at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

Davico, meanwhile, is still struggling with a quadriceps strain suffered last weekend. Utility forward Daniel Abraham and young pivot Chris Bailey are expected to come into the side. Coach Michael Hagan will decide tomorrow whether to start Bailey at five-eighth or partner champion halfback Andrew Johns with Kurt Gidley - back after missing six weeks with a knee injury.

Over at the Tigers, coach Tim Sheens has rated hooker Robbie Farah only a 20 per cent chance of playing this Sunday against Canberra at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.

Farah is battling a corked thigh suffered late in the first half of the Tigers' loss to Melbourne last Saturday. While yet to name a replacement for the representative rake, Sheens says there is an 80 per cent chance Farah won't play.

Elsewhere, Bulldogs enforcer Willie Mason has called for critics to ease off St George Illawarra prop Jason Ryles, saying he probably gives away more penalties than his Dragons opponent.

Ryles has come under fire this week for his poor on-field discipline and has vowed not to give away another penalty for the rest of the year. But Mason has defended Ryles saying all forwards are prone to giving away penalties in the heat of battle - himself probably more than others.

Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes meanwhile says he doesn't expect Dragons coach Nathan Brown's criticism of referees to influence Sean Hampstead in this weekend's clash between the two clubs.