Team List: Backline changes for Egan's 100 milestone
Backline changes have been forced as hooker Wayde Egan eyes his 100th NRL appearance for the One New Zealand Warriors in the club’s season finale against Cronulla Sutherland at PointsBet Stadium in Sydney on Saturday (7.35pm kick-off local time; 9.35pm NZT).
The 27-year-old Lithgow-born Egan becomes player #30 – in what is the club’s season #30 – to reach the 100-game milestone for the Warriors.
His achievement comes on a night when halfback Shaun Johnson, middle forward Jazz Tevaga and prop Addin Fonua-Blake will be playing their final games for the Warriors.
In a double coincidence Johnson is in line to make his 268th and final career appearance against the club he represented for three seasons from 2019-2021 while Fonua-Blake faces the side he’s joining from next season.
And in another twist the One New Zealand Warriors end their campaign against the same side it started against with a 12-16 loss at Go Media Stadium on March 8.
Match: Sharks v Warriors
Round 26 -
home Team
Sharks
away Team
Warriors
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Sharks is number 1 William KennedyFullback for Warriors is number 1 Taine Tuaupiki
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Winger for Sharks is number 2 Sione KatoaWinger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
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Centre for Sharks is number 4 Kayal IroCentre for Warriors is number 3 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
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Centre for Sharks is number 6 Daniel AtkinsonCentre for Warriors is number 4 Ali Leiataua
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Winger for Sharks is number 5 Samuel StonestreetWinger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya
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Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 22 Nicholas HynesFive-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke Metcalf
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Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Braydon TrindallHalfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson
Forwards
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Prop for Sharks is number 8 Toby RudolfProp for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
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Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke BraileyHooker for Warriors is number 14 Freddy Lussick
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Prop for Sharks is number 10 Oregon KaufusiProp for Warriors is number 16 Jazz Tevaga
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2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora2nd Row for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett
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2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Teig Wilton2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Kurt Capewell
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Lock for Sharks is number 13 Cameron McInnesLock for Warriors is number 13 Dylan Walker
Interchange
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Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Jack WilliamsInterchange for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
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Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Royce HuntInterchange for Warriors is number 11 Marata Niukore
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Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Braden Hamlin-UeleInterchange for Warriors is number 15 Tom Ale
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Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Thomas HazeltonInterchange for Warriors is number 17 Demitric Sifakula
Reserves
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Replacement for Sharks is number 18 Chris Vea'ilaReplacement for Warriors is number 18 Chanel Harris-Tavita
Match Officials
- Referee: Chris Butler
- Touch Judge: Drew Oultram
- Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
- Senior Review Official: Grant Atkins
Last updated:
They have lost frontline centres Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Adam Pompey for the match.
Tuivasa-Sheck is following NRL head injury protocols. He was unable to return to the field following a tackle by Bulldogs centre Stephen Crichton early in the second half of last Friday’s clash when the Warriors were leading 18-16.
Crichton was placed on report only at the time but yesterday NRL head of football Graham Annesley admitted he should have been sent to the sin bin for a tackle which has ended Tuivasa-Sheck’s season.
Pompey’s season was also over just 21 minutes into the game when he left the field with a knee injury.
With Rocco Berry sidelined with a shoulder injury, One New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster has reshuffled his centres and fullback with Taine Tuaupiki and Ali Leiataua called up from the club’s New South Wales Cup side.
First-choice fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad will start in the centres with Leiataua while Tuaupiki is in the #1 jersey.
In last Friday night’s emphatic 42-10 NSW Cup win over the Bulldogs, Tuaupiki made 143 metres from 22 runs with three line break assists, four try assists and nine tackle breaks.
He’ll make his sixth NRL appearance of the season and the 11th of his career on Saturday while Leiataua will also play his sixth NRL match of the year.
For hooker Egan, his 100-game achievement for the Warriors is one of the most unusual in NRL history.
After making his club debut against the Knights in Newcastle in the opening round of the 2020 season, his first 50 outings were all played in Australia before playing at Go Media Stadium for the first time in the homecoming match against the Wests Tigers on July 3, 2020. Of his 99 games so far, only 22 have been played at his home ground.
