An unchanged squad has been named for the NZ Warriors opening home game of the season against Manly on Friday at Mt Smart.
It’s the first of two back-to-back Friday night home games with the Sydney Roosters in
Auckland a week later on March 21.
“If I’m honest, I want to give these guys an opportunity to right the wrongs. You won’t
see many changes at all,” said head coach Andrew Webster.
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In fact there haven’t been any changes with the same 22 players selected for the match
against Canberra in round one retained this week.
Webster shuffled his starting forward pack on game day in Las Vegas with Jackson Ford
brought off the bench to start at prop, Mitchell Barnett moved from the front row to start
at loose forward and Erin Clark shifted to the interchange.
The players not used in Vegas – hooker Sam Healey, halfback-standoff Te Maire Martin,
second rower Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, prop Bunty Afoa and winger Edward Kosi – were all
involved in the Warriors’ 18-16 round one New South Wales Cup win over the Canberra
Raiders last Saturday.
While the Warriors began their season with an 8-30 loss to the Raiders, the Sea Eagles
were in irresistible form against North Queensland as they raced to a 24-0 halftime lead
before going on to win 42-12 last Saturday night.
“They were unreal. They got off to a flier,” said Webster.“They attacked well, they defended well. Hopefully we can create an atmosphere here that will make it hard for them. We’re coming up against a good team so that’s exciting.”
The match will have special meaning for co-captain James Fisher Harris as he
experiences his first home game for the Warriors at a packed Go Media Stadium.
Clark will edge towards his 100-game career milestone when he plays his 97th game this
week and his first as a Warrior at Go Media Stadium since his debut there against the
Storm on the 22nd anniversary of the club’s first game (March 10, 2017).
Centre Adam Pompey will make his 96th first-grade appearance, all of them for the Warriors.
Manly has been the Warriors’ most challenging opponent in their history holding a 28-13
advantage in 42 matches played (with one drawn).
When the two sides met in Auckland last April they drew 22-22 after extra time while in
2023 the Warriors prevailed 29-22.
Warriors: 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2 Taine Tuaupiki, 3 Ali Leiataua, 4 Adam Pompey, 5 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7 Luke Metcalf, 8 James Fisher-Harris (cc), 9 Wayde Egan, 10 Mitch Barnett, 11 Kurt Capewell, 12 Marata Miukore, 13 Erin Clark
Interchange: 14 Dylan Walker, 15 Jackson Ford, 16 Demitiric Vaimauga, 17 Leka Halasima, 18 Sam Healey, 20 Te Maire Martin, 21 Eddie Ieremia Toeava, 22 Bunty Afoa, 23 Ed Kosi