Team List: Shaun Johnson and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad back on deck

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Tue 30 Jul 2024, 03:59 PM

Shaun Johnson and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad are both back from sideline stints for the One New Zealand Warriors’ 22nd-round match against the Parramatta Eels at a sold-out Go Media Stadium on Friday night (8.00pm kick-off; match day sponsor: Maxigesic).

Halfback Johnson has recovered from the long-standing chronic Achilles tendinopathy complaint which sidelined him following the round 16 loss to the Titans five weeks ago.

Nicoll-Klokstad succumbed to a calf injury late in the first half of the 12-13 golden point loss to the Bulldogs on July 6 but has been cleared to slot back at fullback in his 13th match of the season.

Also coming off the injury list this week are standoff Luke Metcalf and fullback Taine Tuaupiki who will line up for the club’s New South Wales Cup side against the Eels on Friday night.

Metcalf has been out since breaking his leg nine minutes into the round four contest with Newcastle more than four months ago. Tuaupiki returns after following NRL concussion protocols last wek.

While Johnson, Nicoll-Klokstad and Metcalf are set for comebacks, forward Jackson Ford is out until round 25 or 26 with a knee injury. It ends his run as the only player to have appeared in each of the Warriors’ 19 games so far this season.

Round 22 - Round 22 - Friday 2 Aug

Full Time

Warriors

Eels

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad

Fullback for Eels is number 1 Clinton Gutherson
Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

Winger for Eels is number 2 Jake Tago
Centre for Warriors is number 3 Ali Leiataua

Centre for Eels is number 3 Will Penisini
Centre for Warriors is number 4 Moala Graham-Taufa

Centre for Eels is number 4 Blaize Talagi
Winger for Warriors is number 5 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

Winger for Eels is number 5 Sean Russell
Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita

Five-Eighth for Eels is number 6 Dylan Brown
Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson

Halfback for Eels is number 7 Daejarn Asi

Forwards

Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake

Prop for Eels is number 8 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
Hooker for Warriors is number 14 Freddy Lussick

Hooker for Eels is number 9 Brendan Hands
Prop for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett

Prop for Eels is number 10 Wiremu Greig
2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Marata Niukore

2nd Row for Eels is number 11 Shaun Lane
2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Kurt Capewell

2nd Row for Eels is number 12 Bryce Cartwright
Lock for Warriors is number 13 Dylan Walker

Lock for Eels is number 13 Ryan Matterson

Interchange

Interchange for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan

Interchange for Eels is number 14 Joey Lussick
Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Tom Ale

Interchange for Eels is number 15 Joe Ofahengaue
Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Jazz Tevaga

Interchange for Eels is number 16 Luca Moretti
Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Leka Halasima

Interchange for Eels is number 17 Dan Keir

Reserves

Replacement for Warriors is number 18 Demitric Sifakula

Replacement for Eels is number 22 Makahesi Makatoa

Match Officials

Referee: Todd Smith
Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
Senior Review Official: Grant Atkins

Last updated: 9/7/2024 12:25:37 PM

The backline has undergone another shuffle with Johnson and Nicoll-Klokstad back.

In his 265th career appearance, Johnson will have goal kicking standoff Chanel Harris-Tavita as his starting halves partner for the first time since late in the 2022 season, although they were both in harness for most of the fourth-round match against Newcastle earlier this season after Metcalf was injured.

After playing the last 15 matches at standoff or halfback, Te Maire Martin moves to the extended bench.

Walker: We relieve too much pressure and have to fix it

With Nicoll-Klokstad on deck again, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is switched to the left wing for Edward Kosi with Marcelo Montoya still out with a groin injury. Moala Graham-Taufa, coming off a strong performance in the 28-16 win over Wests Tigers, is again in the centres for his third NRL match for the club.

Jackson’s spot on the bench has been taken by Tom Ale, the Warriors’ 18th man against the Tigers last Friday night. He played 41 minutes in the New South Wales Cup curtain raiser, making 162 metres from 11 runs plus 21 tackles.

The starting pack remains the same for the fourth match on end following a dominant display against the Tigers when Addin Fonua-Blake (222 metres), Dylan Walker (163), Mitchell Barnett (138), Kurt Capewell (97) and Marata Niukore (88) were all impressive.

Parramatta among the One New Zealand Warriors’ least frequent visitors and opponents in recent years, this being the first time the Eels have played at Go Media Stadium in more than seven years, the last finishing in a 22-10 win for the Warriors in round six in 2017.

It’s also the seventh successive season that the two clubs have met just once.