Luke Metcalf will make his first NRL appearance in more than four months after being brought in to start in the One New Zealand Warriors’ 24th-round clash against Manly-Warringah at 4 Pines Park in Sydney tomorrow (6.00pm kick-off local time; 8.00pm NZT).
The 25-year-old was named on the extended bench on Tuesday but in the updated lineup released 24 hours out from kick-off he has been reunited with the retiring Shaun Johnson in the halves.
They were paired in each of the first four matches of the season before Metcalf had his right leg broken nine minutes into the round four clash against the Newcastle Knights on March 31.
He began his comeback with a 40-minute stint for the club’s New South Wales Cup team in its 46-10 win against Parramatta on August 2 before doubling his workload to the full 80 minutes in last Sunday’s 28-10 victory over South Sydney.
He finished with 77 metres from eight runs, a line break, a line break assist, two try assists, 57 receipts, 11 tackles with one miss, an intercept, 389 metres from 15 kicks, a 40/20 and four goals from five attempts.
Match: Sea Eagles v Warriors
Round 24 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
away Team
Warriors
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Tom TrbojevicFullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
-
Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jason SaabWinger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
-
Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Tommy TalauCentre for Warriors is number 3 Adam Pompey
-
Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Reuben GarrickCentre for Warriors is number 4 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
-
Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Lehi HopoateWinger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya
-
Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Luke BrooksFive-Eighth for Warriors is number 21 Luke Metcalf
-
Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Daly Cherry-EvansHalfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson
Forwards
-
Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Taniela PasekaProp for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
-
Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Lachlan CrokerHooker for Warriors is number 14 Freddy Lussick
-
Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Josh AloiaiProp for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett
-
2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Marata Niukore
-
2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 15 Ben Trbojevic2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Kurt Capewell
-
Lock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Jake TrbojevicLock for Warriors is number 13 Dylan Walker
Interchange
-
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Gordon Chan Kum TongInterchange for Warriors is number 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita
-
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Ethan BullemorInterchange for Warriors is number 15 Tom Ale
-
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 17 Nathan BrownInterchange for Warriors is number 16 Jazz Tevaga
-
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 18 Tolutau KoulaInterchange for Warriors is number 17 Demitric Sifakula
Reserves
-
Replacement for Sea Eagles is number 19 Toafofoa SipleyReplacement for Warriors is number 20 Taine Tuaupiki
Match Officials
- Referee: Chris Butler
- Touch Judge: Matt Noyen
- Senior Review Official: Kasey Badger
Last updated:
With his inclusion, Chanel Harris-Tavita moves to the interchange while Freddy Lussick comes in at hooker with Wayde Egan (elbow) omitted. The other two players dropping out of the 22-man squad are winger Edward Kosi and prop Bunty Afoa while fullback Taine Tuaupiki and back rower Leka Halasima are retained in the game day 19.
As well as Metcalf, Johnson is confirmed to return after missing last Sunday’s golden point loss to the Dolphins while centre Adam Pompey and winger Marcelo Montoya make their comebacks from injury.
While Johnson, Pompey, Montoya and Metcalf are back, the One New Zealand Warriors had halfback Te Maire Martin and centre Ali Leiataua ruled out at the start of the week.
Martin scored a try and had a hand in four others in the loss to the Dolphins but has been carrying a nerve complaint in his neck.
Leiataua, who last week scored his third try in five matches this season, left the field after a head knock in the 67th minute and is following the NRL’s concussion protocols.
