Team List: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak ruled out

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Tue 11 Feb 2025, 04:00 PM

Contrasting fortunes for veteran outside backs Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck when the One New Zealand Warriors named their squad for their final Preseason Challenge clash against Melbourne at FMG Waikato Stadium on Saturday (3.30pm kick-off).

The 212-game Hamilton-born winger Watene-Zelezniak (29) has been ruled out as he awaits surgery after breaking and dislocating his left wrist only eight minutes into in last Friday night’s trial against Cronulla Sutherland.

But while he’s sidelined, 31-year-old Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (213 NRL games) returns on the wing after being ruled out last week due to a minor training injury.

Centre Adam Pompey and halfback Tanah Boyd are both unavailable for the Hamilton trip with minor injuries while fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, prop James Fisher-Harris and second rower Jacob Laban are with the Māori All Stars side for Saturday night’s match against the Indigenous All Stars in Sydney.

Round 2 - Saturday 15th February

Full Time

Warriors

Storm

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Warriors is number 6 Te Maire Martin

Fullback for Storm is number 1 Sualauvi Faalogo
Winger for Warriors is number 1 Taine Tuaupiki

Winger for Storm is number 2 Kane Bradley
Centre for Warriors is number 3 Ali Leiataua

Centre for Storm is number 3 Mitchell Jennings
Centre for Warriors is number 4 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava

Centre for Storm is number 4 Coby Williamson
Winger for Warriors is number 2 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

Winger for Storm is number 5 Setu Tu
Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 22 Chanel Harris-Tavita

Five-Eighth for Storm is number 6 Tyran Wishart
Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Luke Metcalf

Halfback for Storm is number 7 Keagan Russell-Smith

Forwards

Prop for Warriors is number 8 Bunty Afoa

Prop for Storm is number 8 Stefano Utoikamanu
Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan

Hooker for Storm is number 9 Bronson Garlick
Prop for Warriors is number 10 Jackson Ford

Prop for Storm is number 10 Lazarus Vaalepu
2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Kurt Capewell

2nd Row for Storm is number 12 Joe Chan
2nd Row for Warriors is number 15 Marata Niukore

2nd Row for Storm is number 21 Josh Billing
Lock for Warriors is number 13 Erin Clark

Lock for Storm is number 13 Angus Hinchey

Interchange

Interchange for Warriors is number 11 Demitric Vaimauga

Interchange for Storm is number 14 Stanley Huen
Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Dylan Walker

Interchange for Storm is number 15 Cooper Page-Wilson
Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Leka Halasima

Interchange for Storm is number 16 Nathaniel Roache
Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Tom Ale

Interchange for Storm is number 17 Ben Talty

Reserves

Reserve for Warriors is number 5 Edward Kosi

Reserve for Storm is number 18 Morgan Harper
Reserve for Warriors is number 18 Samuel Healey

Reserve for Storm is number 19 Jak Goulding
Reserve for Warriors is number 21 Freddy Lussick

Reserve for Storm is number 20 Hugo Peel
Reserve for Warriors is number 23 Geronimo Doyle

Reserve for Storm is number 22 Suli Pole
Reserve for Warriors is number 24 Luke Hanson

Reserve for Storm is number 23 Vaka Sikahele
Reserve for Warriors is number 25 Kalani Going

Reserve for Storm is number 24 Preston Conn
Reserve for Warriors is number 26 Moala Graham-Taufa

Reserve for Storm is number 25 Liam Williams
Reserve for Warriors is number 27 Sio Kali

Reserve for Storm is number 26 Eli Morris
Reserve for Warriors is number 28 Motu Pasikala

Reserve for Storm is number 27 Ioane Lui
Reserve for Warriors is number 29 Jett Cleary

Reserve for Storm is number 28 Tuipulotu Katoa

Match Officials

Referee: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
Senior Review Official: Grant Atkins

Last updated: 05:24 am Thursday 20th February 2025

With Nicoll-Klokstad missing, Taine Tuaupiki starts at fullback while 20-year-old Eddie Ieremia-Toeava has been named as Pompey’s replacement in the centres.

Veteran Bunty Afoa starts in the front row along with Jackson Ford, who missed the trial against the Sharks. Kurt Capewell and the fast-emerging Demitric Vaimauga are paired in the second row with new signing Erin Clark again at loose forward.

Standoff Chanel Harris-Tavita and second rower Leka Halasima are on the extended bench after being unavailable last week.

Hamilton welcomes the Warriors back 18 months after they played there in front of a sold-out crowd of 25,118 against the Wests Tigers on August 12, 2023. The 30-22 win that night was their first success in five NRL matches played at FMG Stadium Waikato.

In earlier visits to Hamilton, the Warriors were the away team against Parramatta in 2005 and 2006 as well as Canterbury Bankstown in 2014 while they brought their home game against St George Illawarra to FMG Stadium Waikato in 2017.

The Preseason Challenge match will be the second time the Warriors and Melbourne have met in a build-up match in Hamilton.

The first was in 2009 soon after the devastating loss of the exciting and popular Sonny Fai, who had disappeared at Bethells Beach on January 4.

The venue was drenched by a drought-breaking deluge on the night of February 12, 2009, as Stacey Jones made his first appearance for the Warriors in his final comeback season. They won the game 24-12.

The Warriors have also played trials in Hamilton against Wigan (2014), Penrith (2013), St George Illawarra (2004) and a local invitation side (1999).