Rd 17 Confirmed Line-up: Starting as selected against Dragons

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Fri 23 Jun 2023, 07:02 PM

No late changes have been made to the One New Zealand Warriors’ line-up for their 17th-round match against St George Illawarra at WIN Stadium in Wollongong tonight (8.00pm kick-off local time; 10.00pm NZT).

The Andrew Webster-coached team will start as selected 1-17 with back-up hooker Freddy Lussick 18th man and experienced centre Brayden Wiliame the 19th player.

The three players omitted 24 hours before kick-off were halfback Ronald Volkman, second rower Kalani Going and prop Zyon Maiu’u.

All three are set to line up for club’s New South Wales Cup side in Saturday’s encounter with the Dragons at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart.

Utility Dylan Walker and centre Rocco Berry resume their 2023 NRL campaigns tonight.

Round 17 - Round 17 - Friday 23 Jun

Full Time

Dragons

Warriors

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Dragons is number 1 Tyrell Sloan

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
Winger for Dragons is number 2 Mathew Feagai

Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Centre for Dragons is number 3 Mosese Suli

Centre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco Berry
Centre for Dragons is number 4 Zac Lomax

Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey
Winger for Dragons is number 5 Mikaele Ravalawa

Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya
Five-Eighth for Dragons is number 6 Jayden Sullivan

Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke Metcalf
Halfback for Dragons is number 7 Ben Hunt

Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson

Forwards

Prop for Dragons is number 8 Francis Molo

Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
Hooker for Dragons is number 9 Jacob Liddle

Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
Prop for Dragons is number 10 Blake Lawrie

Prop for Warriors is number 10 Bunty Afoa
2nd Row for Dragons is number 11 Jack Bird

2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford
2nd Row for Dragons is number 12 Jaydn Su'a

2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Marata Niukore
Lock for Dragons is number 13 Jack De Belin

Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu Harris

Interchange

Interchange for Dragons is number 14 Talatau Amone

Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Dylan Walker
Interchange for Dragons is number 15 Michael Molo

Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Josh Curran
Interchange for Dragons is number 16 Ben Murdoch-Masila

Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Bayley Sironen
Interchange for Dragons is number 17 Zane Musgrove

Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Tom Ale

Reserves

Replacement for Dragons is number 18 Jaiyden Hunt

Replacement for Warriors is number 18 Freddy Lussick

Match Officials

Referee: Adam Gee
Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
Touch Judge: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
Senior Review Official: Chris Butler

Last updated: 9/7/2024 12:26:00 PM

The 28-year-old Walker will make his 198th career appearance after a toe injury kept him out of the club’s last three matches against Brisbane, the Dolphins and Canberra.

He comes onto the interchange for Mitchell Barnett, who’s suspended for one match on a careless high tackle charge he picked up in the club’s 36-14 win over the Raiders on June 9.

Walker joins forwards Josh Curran, Bayley Sironen and Tom Ale on the bench.

Berry was sidelined for the clash in Canberra after being concussed in the victory over the Dolphins on June 3 but now returns for Ali Leiataua, ruled out of contention after suffering a hamstring injury in his NRL debut against the Raiders.

Berry lasted just 13 minutes of the match against the Dolphins after being the victim of a Jarrod Wallace shoulder charge. Wallace wasn’t sin binned but was later suspended for three games.

For the third week running Webster has been able to name an unchanged starting pack with Addin Fonua-Blake, Wayde Egan and Bunty Afoa in the front row and Jackson Ford, Marata Niukore and Tohu Harris in the back row.

Second rower Curran plays his 50th match for the One New Zealand Warriors this week while four of his teammates move within two appearances of potentially reaching major milestones in the same match against Parramatta on July 8.

Halfback Shaun Johnson plays his 198th game for the club leaving him in line to become just the fifth member of the One New Zealand Warriors’ 200-game club.

Walker moves to 198 career games, Fonua-Blake chalks up his 148th appearance overall and Egan his 98th.

The One New Zealand Warriors are sitting sixth on the ladder on 20 points with eight wins and six losses while the Dragons are 15th with four wins and 10 defeats. However, in their last start before the bye they beat fourth-placed South Sydney and toppled the Roosters in round 12 while they pushed Penrith all the way before losing 18-26.

The last time the two teams met in Wollongong coincided with the Warriors’ first and only success over St George Illawarra at WIN Stadium. On that occasion, they eked out an 18-12 victory following a run of 10 straight losses dating back to 2000.