Mitchell Barnett, Kurt Capewell and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak return but Shaun Johnson is out for the NZ Warriors Round 17 clash with the Brisbane Broncos on Saturday at Mt Smart.
Capewell is on Queensland’s interchange bench and Barnett is 18th man for New South
Wales for Origin II in Melbourne.
In the expectation they’ll both back up for the Warriors three days later, Barnett slots
back into the second row with Dylan Walker returning to the interchange.
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Capewell resumes the bench role he filled in his last two outings against North Queensland and
Melbourne.
Watene-Zelezniak is also back after his one-match suspension replacing Edward Kosi in
his regular spot on the right wing.
While boosted by the return of the trio, the Warriors will be without the vastly experienced Johnson, who has been sidelined for at least four weeks with a chronic Achilles tendon injury.
His absence see Te Maire Martin switched to halfback and Chanel Harris-Tavita called
into standoff; Harris-Tavita’s place on the bench is filled by hooker Freddy Lussick. Jazz
Tevaga completes the interchange alongside Lussick, Walker and Capewell. Prop Tom Ale
and back rower Jacob Laban slide onto the extended bench.
Other than Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in the centres for the injured Rocco Berry, the selected
17 is the same as the combination used in the 42-12 win over North Queensland on June
8.
First-year Warrior Capewell is in line to face his former Brisbane side for the first time in
a match which will move him within one appearance of his 150-game milestone.
The One New Zealand Warriors will wear their 2024 heritage jersey against the Broncos,
a replica of the club’s original 1995 away strip.
The day doubles as the Warriors’ old boys’ reunion with a big contingent of ex-players set to attend.
Warriors: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Adam Pompey, Marcelo Montoya, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Te Maire Martin; Addin Fonua-Blake, Wayde Egan, Jackson Ford, Marata Niukore, Mitchell Barnett, Tohu Harris. Interchange: Freddy Lussick, Dylan Walker, Jazz Tevaga, Kurt Capewell. Reserves: Tom Ale, Jacob Laban, Edward Kosi, Taine Tuaupiki, Moala Graham-Taufa.