The NZ Warriors have called in Bunty Afoa and Kurt Capewell back into the side for their clash with Newcastle Knights on Sunday.
Capewell returns from a throat injury which ruled him out of the Anzac Day loss to Gold Coast Titans last week, shifting Jacob Laban back to the interchange.
LATEST HEADLINES:
Afoa has spent the last three games on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury but will add some much-needed power to the Warriors bench for their trip to McDonald Jones Stadium.
After impressing in his first-grade debut last week, Zyon Maiu'u rejoins the reserves.
Together Capewell and Afoa provide a major injection of experience to the team with 279
NRL appearances between them.
With Capewell back, four-game rookie Jacob Laban moves back to the interchange after
his first starting appearance against the Titans last week.
Afoa rejoins the interchange alongside Laban, utility Dylan Walker and front rower Tom
Ale with Anzac Day debutant prop Zyon Maiu’u (20) moving to the extended bench.
Also named in the 22-man squad are centre Adam Pompey, winger Edward Kosi, fullback
Taine Tuaupiki and another 20-year-old prop Tanner Stowers-Smith.
The match against the Knights is the first of three consecutive Sunday games in Australia
for the Warriors with the Sydney Roosters to follow at Allianz Stadium May 12 and then the ‘home’ game against three-time premiers the Penrith Panthers during the NRL’s Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium May 19.
Both teams go into this week’s contest on the back of indifferent form.
The Warriors have followed their 34-4 fifth-round win over South Sydney with their 22-
22 golden point draw with Manly Warringah, a 12-30 reverse against St George Illawarra
and a difficult 24-27 loss to the Titans.
After beating the Dragons in round five, the Knights have lost 20-22 to the Roosters and
12-36 to Canterbury-Bankstown but beat the Dolphins 18-14 in Brisbane last Sunday.
The rivals sit one spot apart on the ladder, the Warriors 12th on seven points while the
Knights are 13th on six points.
NZ WARRIORS: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Rocco Berry, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Marcelo Montoya, Te Maire Martin, Shaun Johnson, Addin Fonua-Blake, Wayde Egan, Mitch Barnett, Jackson Ford, Kurt Capewell, Tohu Harris. Interchange: Dylan Walker, Tom Ale, Jacob Laban, Bunty Afoa, Adam Pompey, Zyon Maiu'u, Edward Kosi, Taine Tuaupiki, Tanner Stowers-Smith