Whakatane’s favourite son Benji Marshall will start at standoff for the trip back to his homeland when the Broncos take on the Vodafone Warriors at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday.
Alongside him in the halves is Ben Hunt who returns from injury.
New Zealand international Jordan Kahu shifts to fullback and Kiwi veteran Adam Blair will captain the side which also features New Zealand-born players Alex Glenn, Kodi Nikorima, Herman Ese’ese, Jaydn Su’a, Joe Ofahengaue, Francis Molo and Jamayne Isaako.
The Broncos are without six of their regular first-graders (Darius Boyd, Corey Oates, Anthony Milford, Matt Gillett, Josh McGuire and Sam Thaiday) who have all been named in the Queensland squad for Origin I in Brisbane.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v BRISBANE BRONCOS
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
7.30pm, Saturday, May 27
BRISBANE BRONCOS
1 JORDAN KAHU
2 JONUS PEARSON
3 JAMES ROBERTS
4 TAUTAU MOGA
5 DAVID MEAD
6 BENJI MARSHALL
7 BEN HUNT
8 HERMAN ESE’ESE
9 TRAVIS WADDELL
10 ADAM BLAIR (c)
11 ALEX GLENN
12 JAYDN SU’A
13 KORBIN SIMS
Interchange:
14 GEORGE FAI
15 JOE OFAHENGAUE
16 JAI ARROW
17 JOE BOYCE
18 KODI NIKORIMA
19 JAMAYNE ISAAKO
20 TEVITA PANGAI
21 FRANCIS MOLO
COACH | WAYNE BENNETT
