Team List: Watene-Zelezniak and Capewell back
Winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and second rower Kurt Capewell return from one-week lay-offs to bolster the One New Zealand Warriors for Saturday’s sixth-round NRL clash against Manly Warringah at a sold-out Go Media Stadium (5.00pm kick-off).
The experienced duo missed Saturday's 34-4 win over South Sydney, Watene-Zelezniak with hamstring tightness while Capewell was following NRL concussion protocols.
Watene-Zelezniak slots back on the right wing for his 195th match while Roger Tuivasa-Sheck moves back to left centre in his third switch in as many games after playing at fullback in the 20-12 win over the Knights and then on the wing in his 200th milestone game against the Rabbitohs.
Capewell’s availability enables head coach Andrew Webster to name his preferred starting pack again with Mitchell Barnett moving back to the front row for his 149th career appearance.
While there’s positive news with Watene-Zelezniak and Capewell coming back into the side, there has been a setback for prop Bunty Afoa who is facing six-eight weeks on the sideline with a hamstring injury. It means the One New Zealand Warriors are still without four frontline players with Afoa joining Dylan Walker (ankle), Marata Niukore (foot) and Luke Metcalf (broken leg); between them they boast almost 500 NRL games.
Match: Warriors v Sea Eagles
Round 6 -
home Team
Warriors
away Team
Sea Eagles
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-KlokstadFullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Tom Trbojevic
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Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-ZelezniakWinger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Tommy Talau
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Centre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco BerryCentre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Tolutau Koula
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Roger Tuivasa-SheckCentre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Ben Trbojevic
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo MontoyaWinger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Jaxson Paulo
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Te Maire MartinFive-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Luke Brooks
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Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun JohnsonHalfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Daly Cherry-Evans
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-BlakeProp for Sea Eagles is number 8 Taniela Paseka
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Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde EganHooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Lachlan Croker
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell BarnettProp for Sea Eagles is number 10 Josh Aloiai
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Kurt Capewell2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Corey Waddell
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Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu HarrisLock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Jake Trbojevic
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Chanel Harris-TavitaInterchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Karl Lawton
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Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Tom AleInterchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Ethan Bullemor
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Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Jazz TevagaInterchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Toafofoa Sipley
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Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Jacob LabanInterchange for Sea Eagles is number 19 Aaron Woods
Reserves
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Replacement for Warriors is number 18 Adam PompeyReplacement for Sea Eagles is number 18 Jake Arthur
Match Officials
- Referee: Chris Butler
- Touch Judge: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
- Senior Review Official: Liam Kennedy
Last updated:
Named on the interchange are utility Chanel Harris-Tavita, middle forwards Tom Ale and Jazz Tevaga plus rookie second rower Jacob Laban, who became Warrior #286 last Saturday.
Listed on the extended bench are centre Adam Pompey, who was in the side with Watene-Zelezniak injured last week, fullback Taine Tuaupiki, prop Zyon Maiu’u, winger Edward Kosi and centre Ali Leiataua.
Last Saturday’s win – the third in five starts this season – was just the Warriors’ second in their last 16 encounters with South Sydney, a victory ultimately achieved in emphatic style.
In Manly Warringah they face another challenging opponent and one in buoyant mood after an impressive 32-18 win over three-time premiership-winning Penrith last Saturday.
The Sea Eagles also have a 3-2 record to lie one place behind the sixth-placed Warriors.
Of the current clubs, Manly has been the One New Zealand Warriors’ most difficult rival with the Sea Eagles holding a 27-13 advantage in 40 contests since 1995.
The Warriors prevailed 29-22 in the only meeting between the two sides at Go Media Stadium last August to end a run of three straight defeats offshore during the Covid years. They won three on end before that and have a 5-4 edge in the last nine matchups.
