Confirmed Line-up: No changes
The One New Zealand Warriors will take the field as selected in their NRL season opener against Cronulla Sutherland at Go Media Stadium tonight (8.00pm kick-off).
Adam Pompey is confirmed as 18th man while Te Maire Martin was omitted to play for the club's New South Wales Cup side against Newtown in the early game at the stadium.
Those left out of the extended squad at the 24-hour deadline were middle forward Jazz Tevaga, centre Ali Leiataua and second rower Jacob Laban.
On Tuesday head coach Andrew Webster confirmed Luke Metcalf had claimed the hotly-contested spot as Shaun Johnson’s halves partner ahead of the club launching its 30th season in the competition.
Metcalf has been preferred ahead of Martin and the returning Chanel Harris-Tavita after featuring in the halves in each of the club’s Preseason Challenge matches against the Wests Tigers and the Dolphins.
Taine Tuaupiki starts at fullback replacing the unavailable Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, out with a hamstring injury, while forward Marata Niukore is also missing, ruled out with a minor foot fracture picked up in the trial against the Dolphins on February 24.
Making his return to the NRL after a two-and-a-half year absence is former captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who’ll line up in the centres in his 112th match for the club and his 196th appearance overall.
Match: Warriors v Sharks
Round 1 -
home Team
Warriors
away Team
Sharks
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Taine TuaupikiFullback for Sharks is number 1 William Kennedy
-
Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-ZelezniakWinger for Sharks is number 2 Sione Katoa
-
Centre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco BerryCentre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse Ramien
-
Centre for Warriors is number 4 Roger Tuivasa-SheckCentre for Sharks is number 4 Siosifa Talakai
-
Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo MontoyaWinger for Sharks is number 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo
-
Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke MetcalfFive-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Braydon Trindall
-
Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun JohnsonHalfback for Sharks is number 7 Nicholas Hynes
Forwards
-
Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-BlakeProp for Sharks is number 8 Oregon Kaufusi
-
Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde EganHooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke Brailey
-
Prop for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell BarnettProp for Sharks is number 10 Royce Hunt
-
2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora
-
2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Kurt Capewell2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Teig Wilton
-
Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu HarrisLock for Sharks is number 13 Cameron McInnes
Interchange
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Freddy LussickInterchange for Sharks is number 14 Dale Finucane
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Tom AleInterchange for Sharks is number 15 Jack Williams
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Bunty AfoaInterchange for Sharks is number 16 Toby Rudolf
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Dylan WalkerInterchange for Sharks is number 17 Thomas Hazelton
Reserves
-
Replacement for Warriors is number 18 Adam PompeyReplacement for Sharks is number 18 Kayal Iro
Match Officials
- Referee: Peter Gough
- Touch Judge: Belinda Sharpe
- Senior Review Official: Matt Noyen
Last updated:
Of the starting pack used in last year’s preliminary final against Brisbane, the only change is in the second row where 139-game new signing Kurt Capewell comes into the second row to make his club debut as Warrior #285 alongside Jackson Ford.
While Tuivasa-Sheck moves within four games of his 200-game milestone, winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak clocks up his 191st career appearance.
The interchange bench comprises hooker Freddy Lussick plus middle forwards Tom Ale and Bunty Afoa and utility Dylan Walker.
The match, which has sold out, is the first season-opener at Go Media Stadium since 2019 and just the third in 15 years.
The One New Zealand Warriors beat the Sharks home and away last season, winning 32-30 in Sydney and 44-12 at Go Media Stadium, but Cronulla Sutherland holds a 28-20 edge in 28 encounters between the clubs since 1995.
