Season 2025 ends for the One New Zealand Warriors when they host the highly-ranked Sydney Roosters in their ninth-round SG Ball Cup (under-19) encounter at Navigation Homes Stadium in Pukekohe on Sunday (1.30pm kick-off).
After drawing with the second-placed South Sydney at Redfern Oval last weekend, the Warriors head into their finale welcoming back prolific winger Connor Bowden.
He has scored eight tries in six games, slotting back on the wing with Compton Purcell switched back to the centres.
Hiraka Waiati-Haenga, who was in the centres last week, moves to the second row with Militoni Sikuvea named on the bench.
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Joseph RatcliffeFullback for Roosters is number 1 Jackson Stewart
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Winger for Warriors is number 2 Connor BowdenWinger for Roosters is number 2 EJ Mahu-Delamere
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Centre for Warriors is number 3 Taipari WikiteraCentre for Roosters is number 3 Lachlan Dooner
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Compton PurcellCentre for Roosters is number 4 Lui Lee
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Meihana PaulingWinger for Roosters is number 5 William Pappas
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Tyrone Hurt-PickeringFive-Eighth for Roosters is number 6 Tyson Walker
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Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Maui Winitana-PatelesioHalfback for Roosters is number 7 Toby Rodwell
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 8 Gordon Pailegutu Taanuu AfoaProp for Roosters is number 8 Peter Benjamin Uini
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Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Noah JensenHooker for Roosters is number 9 Liam Bell
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Tepatasi LaumaliliProp for Roosters is number 10 Kanaan Magele
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Kahu Capper2nd Row for Roosters is number 11 Darcy Smith
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Hiraka Waitai-Haenga2nd Row for Roosters is number 12 James Finegan
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Lock for Roosters is number 13 Josiah Fesolai
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Rico LemalieInterchange for Roosters is number 14 Eddy Cayless
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Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Militonimolela SikuveaInterchange for Roosters is number 15 Kynan Toevai
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Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Te Paeroa Wi NeeraInterchange for Roosters is number 16 Itula Seve
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Interchange for Roosters is number 17 Phillip Lavakeiaho
Reserves
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Replacement for Warriors is number 18 Elijah SolomonaReplacement for Roosters is number 20 Brooklyn Rosemeyer
Warriors Ins
- Connor Bowden
Roosters Ins
- Brooklyn Rosemeyer
- EJ Mahu-Delamere
Warriors Outs
- Isaiah Savea
- Paea Sikuvea
- Waka Tate
Roosters Ins
- Coby Thomas
- Mikey Nassar
Last updated:
The best the Warriors can achieve is to hold onto 12th spot in a season which has presented them with challenges and tight contests.
They were in contention in three of their first four matches against Manly Warringah, Canterbury Bankstown and Illawarra, the last a particularly cruel result when they fell to a 26-28 defeat when the Steelers scored and converted in the final seconds.
Following a disappointing fifth-round performance against Melbourne, they’ve finished the season strongly.
They led Western Suburbs 18-16 into the final minutes before conceding a late try to go down 18-22, beat St George 20-12 and were leading South Sydney 16-12 before the home side scored inside the last three minutes for a 16-16 draw.
