Timmins to start at Lock in second
week back

International centre Shaun Timmins will start at lock for the Dragons in his second week back from knee surgery in the Easter Saturday clash with the Bulldogs at Telstra Stadium.

Timmins, 26, is one of three changes to the Dragons line-up which was humbled by the Sea Eagles last weekend.

Timmins and John Cross have swapped with Cross going to the bench; while prop Chris Leikvoll and Premier League captain and five-eighth Damien Bower will replace Nathan Tutt and Ryan Tandy on the bench.

It will be the first NRL game for the pair this season, with Leikvoll set to make his 100th NRL appearance and Bower his fourth. Leikvoll returned from a knee injury last week and, along with Bower, played in the Dragons Premier League side which beat Manly 60-6.

Timmins said that apart from a swollen knee, he was happy with how he came through his first game in almost seven months.

”My fitness was a little down, but I'm pretty happy with the way I went,” Timmins said. “It would have been great to score a try when I made that break, but it wasn't to be.

“The pleasing thing was how good my knee felt at the time. It's pulled up a bit swollen but that's to be expected.”

Timmins said he was happy to play lock until his match fitness improved but was hopeful of returning to the centres.

“I played there a bit last year, but I still want to play in the centres,” he said. “I just need to work on improving my match fitness.”

TEAM LIST - DRAGONS (V BULLDOGS) Saturday, April 19 Telstra Stadium (NRL) - 5.30pm

NRL (Rd 6) Coach: Nathan Brown

1. Ben HORNBY 2. Amos ROBERTS 3. Mark GASNIER 4. Matt COOPER 5. Hassan SALEH 6. Trent BARRETT (c) 7. Brett FIRMAN 8. Luke BAILEY 9. Mark RIDDELL 10. Ian DONNELLY 11. Brent KITE 12. Lance THOMPSON 13. Shaun TIMMINS

14. Chris LEIKVOLL 15. John CROSS 16. Dean YOUNG 17. Damien BOWER -------------------------------------------------- Belmore Oval (Premier League) - 12.45pm

Premier Division (Rd 2) Coach: Michael Potter

1. Reece SIMMONDS 2. John WILSHERE 3. David HOWELL 4. Wise KATIVERATA 5. Wes NAIQAMA 6. Dean BYRNE (c) 7. Mathew HEAD 8. Ryan TANDY 9. Peter ELLIS 10. Ashton SIMS 11. Chris NERO 12. Nathan TUTT 13. Henry PERENARA

14. Brett WHITE 15. Bryan NORRIE 16. Gary McBRIDE 17. Keiran KERR 20. Ryan POWELL 21. Michael HOWELL --------------------------------------------------