Melbourne have ruled Billy Slater out of Friday night’s blockbuster NRL trial against North Queensland at Suncorp Stadium.

The veteran fullback has been given more time to rest his jarred shoulder, suffered in last week’s World Club Challenge (WCC) win over Leeds.

The injury has forced Slater to miss the 2017 grand-final rematch that will also double as a testimonial for his good friends Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston.

Storm winger Suliasi Vunivalu is also a no-show after “pulling up sore” from the WCC.

At South Sydney, Dane Gagai will make his Rabbitohs debut in Saturday night’s Charity Shield clash with St George Illawarra at Mudgee in NSW’s central west.

The Queensland and ex-Newcastle flyer has been included in coach Anthony Seibold’s 21-strong squad that also features Sam Burgess, John Sutton and Cody Walker in their first match of the year.

But Greg Inglis, Adam Reynolds and Angus Crichton will be on the sidelines when the Rabbitohs vie for their sixth-straight Charity Shield win.

At the Warriors, Shaun Johnson will combine with Blake Green for the first time after being named for a star-studded Warriors’ Saturday trial against Gold Coast on the Sunshine Coast.

Adam Blair and Tohu Harris will make their Warriors debuts.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Simon Mannering, Issac Luke and Sam Lisone have also been added by coach Stephen Kearney.

At Newcastle, Cowboys recruit Kalyn Ponga has been named at fullback in a new-look Knights spine for Saturday night’s trial against Parramatta in Maitland.

Ponga will combine with halves Connor Watson and Mitchell Pearce, with Slade Griffin at hooker.

At Manly, recruit Lachlan Croker will pair with Daly Cherry-Evans in the halves in Manly’s Saturday night trial against the Sydney Roosters at Gosford.

Ex-Dragon Joel Thompson makes his Sea Eagles debut while winger Jorge Taufua returns from a serious knee injury.

At Penrith, Peter Wallace, Josh Mansour and Reagan Campbell-Gillard have been named for the Panthers’ Saturday night Belmore Oval trial against Canterbury.

Waqa Blake and Corey Harawira-Naera return from shoulder reconstructions for Penrith.

At Brisbane, Anthony Milford will return from shoulder surgery after being named on the bench for Saturday’s clash with PNG Hunters in Port Moresby.

Skipper Darius Boyd will be on the sidelines again but Brisbane have welcomed back stars Matt Gillett, Josh McGuire and Alex Glenn, who has been named captain.