Captain Tohu Harris and fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad have both been named to line up in the One New Zealand Warriors’ Magic Round encounter with defending premier Penrith at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday (3.00pm kick-off local time; 5.00pm NZT).
The pair missed Sunday’s 0-14 loss to the Roosters, Harris with a recurrence of his niggling knee complaint which forced him off against Melbourne and Nicoll-Klokstad due to a head knock in the Storm contest.
After a two-match layoff Harris returned to face the Cowboys in round seven only to have it flare up again in Melbourne in round eight.
With Harris in the side, the One New Zealand Warriors have a 4-2 record while Nicoll-Klokstad is 4-3 in his seven outings so far this season.
Harris’ inclusion sees the starting forward pack revert to a more familiar look with Marata Niukore and Jackson Ford reunited in the second row with a front row of in-form Addin Fonua-Blake, Wayde Egan and Bunty Afoa. Josh Curran who started in the second row on Sunday moves back to the interchange while hooker Freddy Lussick is shifted to the extended bench.
The combination in the outside backs is as it was for Anzac Day with Nicoll-Klokstad behind Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Adam Pompey, just re-signed Marcelo Montoya and Edward Kosi. Viliami Vailea, in the centres on Sunday, is on the extended bench.
Match: Warriors v Panthers
Round 10 -
home Team
Warriors
away Team
Panthers
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-KlokstadFullback for Panthers is number 1 Dylan Edwards
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Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-ZelezniakWinger for Panthers is number 2 Sunia Turuva
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Centre for Warriors is number 3 Marcelo MontoyaCentre for Panthers is number 3 Tyrone Peachey
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam PompeyCentre for Panthers is number 4 Stephen Crichton
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Edward KosiWinger for Panthers is number 5 Brian To'o
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Dylan WalkerFive-Eighth for Panthers is number 6 Jarome Luai
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Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun JohnsonHalfback for Panthers is number 7 Nathan Cleary
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-BlakeProp for Panthers is number 8 Moses Leota
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Hooker for Warriors is number 18 Freddy LussickHooker for Panthers is number 9 Mitch Kenny
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Bunty AfoaProp for Panthers is number 10 James Fisher-Harris
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford2nd Row for Panthers is number 11 Scott Sorensen
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Marata Niukore2nd Row for Panthers is number 12 Zac Hosking
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Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu HarrisLock for Panthers is number 13 Isaah Yeo
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 9 Wayde EganInterchange for Panthers is number 14 Soni Luke
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Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Josh CurranInterchange for Panthers is number 15 Lindsay Smith
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Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Demitric SifakulaInterchange for Panthers is number 17 Jaeman Salmon
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Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Tom AleInterchange for Panthers is number 21 Spencer Leniu
Reserves
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Replacement for Warriors is number 20 Taine TuaupikiReplacement for Panthers is number 19 Luke Garner
Match Officials
- Referee: Todd Smith
- Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
- Touch Judge: Belinda Sharpe
- Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Last updated:
The match has a double layer of significance for fan favourite Montoya. Not only will he mark a two-year extension to his contract with the club but he will also bring up his milestone 100th NRL appearance, 54 of them for Canterbury Bankstown and 46 for the Warriors.
Now in his seventh season, the Fiji-born 27-year-old is in career-best form averaging almost 160 metres in his nine games this season, ahead of his previous best of 130 metres last season.
The One New Zealand Warriors head into the fourth edition of the Magic Round in the same situation as the Panthers. Both sides have lost their last two matches, Penrith with a 4-4 record to sit seventh on the ladder just ahead of the eighth-placed Warriors (5-4).