Injuries to experienced Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Marata Niukore have forced more lineup changes for the One New Zealand Warriors’ fifth-round match against South Sydney at Accor Stadium on Saturday (3.00pm kick-off local time, 5.00pm NZT).
It means the Warriors will be without five frontline players this week after earlier losing utility Dylan Walker (ankle), second rower Kurt Capewell (concussion) and half Luke Metcalf (broken leg). See the Maxigesic Recovery Report for full details.
Between then the five players boast a total of 700 NRL appearances.
With Watene-Zelezniak (hamstring) out, Adam Pompey moves onto the right wing while Niukore’s absence through a new foot injury sees Mitchell Barnett switched to the second row with Bunty Afoa now named to start in the front row.
Coming onto the interchange is utility Chanel Harris-Tavita with back rower Jacob Laban named as 18th man and centre Ali Leiataua as 19th man.
Apart from Watene-Zelezniak and Niukore, the other player omitted 24 hours out from the match is winger Edward Kosi.
Match: Rabbitohs v Warriors
Round 5 -
home Team
Rabbitohs
away Team
Warriors
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Rabbitohs is number 1 Latrell MitchellFullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
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Winger for Rabbitohs is number 2 Izaac Tu’itupou ThompsonWinger for Warriors is number 4 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
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Centre for Rabbitohs is number 3 Jack WightonCentre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco Berry
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Centre for Rabbitohs is number 4 Isaiah TassCentre for Warriors is number 18 Adam Pompey
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Winger for Rabbitohs is number 5 Taane MilneWinger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya
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Five-Eighth for Rabbitohs is number 6 Cody WalkerFive-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Te Maire Martin
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Halfback for Rabbitohs is number 7 Dean HawkinsHalfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson
Forwards
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Prop for Rabbitohs is number 8 Tevita TatolaProp for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
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Hooker for Rabbitohs is number 9 Damien CookHooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
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Prop for Rabbitohs is number 10 Thomas BurgessProp for Warriors is number 16 Bunty Afoa
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2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 11 Keaon Koloamatangi2nd Row for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett
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2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 12 Jacob Host2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford
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Lock for Rabbitohs is number 13 Cameron MurrayLock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu Harris
Interchange
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Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 14 Michael Chee KamInterchange for Warriors is number 15 Tom Ale
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Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 15 Tallis DuncanInterchange for Warriors is number 17 Jazz Tevaga
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Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 16 Sean KeppieInterchange for Warriors is number 20 Jacob Laban
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Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 18 Peter MamouzelosInterchange for Warriors is number 21 Chanel Harris-Tavita
Reserves
-
Replacement for Rabbitohs is number 17 Davvy MoaleReplacement for Warriors is number 23 Ali Leiataua
Match Officials
- Referee: Liam Kennedy
- Touch Judge: Jon Stone
- Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein
Last updated:
In the side for the first time this season is #1 fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
A hamstring injury kept Kiwi international Nicoll-Klokstad out of the club’s Preseason Challenge match against the Dolphins on February 24 and then the opening four rounds of the NRL season.
The 28-year-old comes back into the #1 jersey to move within three games of his 100th NRL career appearance while Roger Tuivasa-Sheck returns to the centres for his 200th milestone career game, his 116th outing for the Warriors.
Nicoll-Klokstad hasn’t had a game since his man of the match performance in the Kiwis’ record 30-0 win over the Kangaroos in the Pacific Championships final in Hamilton on November 4, a day when the fullback made 277 metres from 30 runs (101 post-contact metres) with two line break assists, a try assist, six tackles breaks and four off loads.
With Metcalf unavailable, One New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster has called in Te Maire Martin to start in the halves alongside Shaun Johnson, reprising the partnership he used for the opening four rounds last season before Martin missed the following round with concussion and was then sidelined for a lengthy part of the season after breaking his fibula in the sixth round match against Newcastle.
Martin, who has played for the club’s New South Wales Cup side three times in the opening four rounds this season, was influential in Sunday’s 26-12 win over Newcastle with three line break assists, two try assists, 26 runs for 144 metres and 24 tackles without a miss.
Harris-Tavita, brought onto the interchange last Sunday, played the last 71 minutes of the match replacing Metcalf and scoring a try as well as creating one for Marcelo Montoya.
