Home surroundings will be a welcome relief for the One New Zealand Warriors’ Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) players when they face St George Illawarra in their 16th-round clash at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday (10.00am kick-off).
It's the first leg of a doubleheader followed by the New South Wales Cup contest between the Warriors and the Dragons at 12.00pm.
Over the past three weeks the Warriors' Jersey Flegg side has had a return trip to Sydney to face the Roosters, then off to Fiji to play the Silktails in Lautoka before another away match at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney last weekend.
The three-match run started well with wins over the Roosters (20-16) and the Silktails (16-10) before a much-changed combination fell to a 16-28 loss to the Wests Tigers last Saturday ending a streak of three straight wins.
With a record of five wins, a draw and eight losses, the Warriors are on 13 points on a congested ladder. No more than three points covers seven teams sitting seventh to 13th.
The Warriors will again be without some key personnel on Saturday with front rowers Harry Durbin and Rodney Tuipulotu-Vea again on New South Wales Cup duty while fellow prop Toby Crosby is out.
Eligible halves Luke Hanson and Caleb Laiman have developed into New South Wales Cup regulars after starting the season in Jersey Flegg as have winger Motu Pasikala, back rower Kayliss Fatialofa and hooker Makaia Tafua who were all playing SG Ball Cup (under-19) earlier in the season.
In their absence, more new players are being developed at Flegg level.
Match: Warriors v Dragons
Round 16 -
home Team
Warriors
away Team
Dragons
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Tallan EganFullback for Dragons is number 1 Benjamin Rumble
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Winger for Warriors is number 2 Garry TuilekutuWinger for Dragons is number 2 Cain Barnes
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Sialetili FaeamaniCentre for Dragons is number 3 Tobias Miller
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Centre for Warriors is number 20 Taipari WikiteraCentre for Dragons is number 4 Benjamin Lavender
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Rapheal SioWinger for Dragons is number 5 Jesse Williams
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Jesse SoricFive-Eighth for Dragons is number 6 Tyler Peckham-Harris
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Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Cassius CowleyHalfback for Dragons is number 7 Ashton Ward
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 8 Kalani Peyroux-DonaldsonProp for Dragons is number 8 Jacob Webster
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Hooker for Warriors is number 21 Jacob AuloaHooker for Dragons is number 9 Kyan Hjaltason
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Ieti SamueluProp for Dragons is number 16 Finau Latu
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Alvin Chong Nee2nd Row for Dragons is number 11 Jack Quine
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 18 Presley Seumanu Tigafua2nd Row for Dragons is number 20 Cyrus Stanley-Traill
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Lock for Warriors is number 13 Etuate FukofukaLock for Dragons is number 13 Hamish Stewart
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 9 Jeriko Filipi-TalisauInterchange for Dragons is number 10 Ryan Hutchinson
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Interchange for Warriors is number 12 Augustino FilipoInterchange for Dragons is number 14 Isaiah Fagalilo
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Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Mikaele ILAIUInterchange for Dragons is number 15 Isaac Laughton
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Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Paea SikuveaInterchange for Dragons is number 17 Travis Barrett-Hancock
Reserves
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Replacement for Warriors is number 14 Maui Winitana-PatelesioReplacement for Dragons is number 18 Wesley Pring
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