Squad updated: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak out of season-openerf

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Fri 3 Mar 2023, 05:00 PM

Edward Kosi's inclusion for the injured Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is the only change for the One New Zealand Warriors for their first-round encounter with the Newcastle Knights at Wellington’s Sky Stadium tonight (8.00pm kick-off).

Hooker Freddy Lussick has been confirmed as 18th man with centre Viliami Vailea omitted from the 19-man game day squad.

Watene-Zelezniak was ruled out last night after failing to recovered from a calf injury he picked up in the club's second Preseason Challenge match against Melbourne in Christchurch on February 19.

A return date is yet to be confirmed for Watene-Zelezniak, the club's top try scorer with nine last season.

The other two players to drop out of the extended squad 24 hours before the season-opener were fullback Taine Tuaupiki and halfback Ronald Volkman.

Six of the club's offseason signings make their first NRL appearances for the One New Zealand Warriors tonight.

And a seventh will be playing his first NRL game for the club since the last of his seven previous matches in 2017.

Of the confirmed starting line-up just four were starters in the final game of the 2022 season against Gold Coast Titans; winger Kosi, props Addin Fonua-Blake and Tohu Harris and hooker Wayde Egan – while three from that team – Bunty Afoa, Josh Curran and Tom Ale – are on the bench tonight.

After missing the 2022 season finale through injury winger Marcelo Montoya, centre Adam Pompey and half Shaun Johnson return but highlighting the selection are seven of the club’s acquisitions:

Round 1 - Round 1 - Friday 3 Mar

Full Time

Warriors

Knights

Match Centre

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad

Fullback for Knights is number 1 Lachlan Miller
Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya

Winger for Knights is number 2 Hymel Hunt
Centre for Warriors is number 3 Brayden Wiliame

Centre for Knights is number 3 Enari Tuala
Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey

Centre for Knights is number 4 Bradman Best
Winger for Warriors is number 23 Edward Kosi

Winger for Knights is number 5 Dominic Young
Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Te Maire Martin

Five-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Kalyn Ponga
Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson

Halfback for Knights is number 7 Jackson Hastings

Forwards

Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake

Prop for Knights is number 8 Daniel Saifiti
Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan

Hooker for Knights is number 9 Jayden Brailey
Prop for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett

Prop for Knights is number 10 Jacob Saifiti
2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford

2nd Row for Knights is number 11 Tyson Frizell
2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Marata Niukore

2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Lachlan Fitzgibbon
Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu Harris

Lock for Knights is number 13 Kurt Mann

Interchange

Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Dylan Walker

Interchange for Knights is number 14 Phoenix Crossland
Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Bunty Afoa

Interchange for Knights is number 15 Adam Elliott
Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Josh Curran

Interchange for Knights is number 16 Jack Hetherington
Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Tom Ale

Interchange for Knights is number 17 Leo Thompson

Reserves

Replacement for Warriors is number 20 Freddy Lussick

Replacement for Knights is number 18 Jack Johns

Match Officials

Referee: Chris Sutton
Touch Judge: Liam Kennedy
Touch Judge: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
Senior Review Official: Ben Cummins

Last updated: 3/9/2023 6:08:12 AM

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad resumes his club career after 66 appearances for the Canberra Raiders over the last four seasons.
Brayden Wiliame will become Warrior #273 when he starts in the centres after 46 earlier NRL appearances for Parramatta, Manly Warringah and St George Illawarra as well as a stint with Les Catalans in the Super League and a test of rugby union in France.
Te Maire Martin is at standoff as Warrior #274 after a total of 68 appearances for Penrith, North Queensland and Brisbane.
Starting at prop as Warrior #275 will be the seasoned Mitchell Barnett, who has played 126 times for Newcastle since 2016 following a two-match rookie season with Canberra in 2015.
Jackson Ford becomes Warrior #276 as the first of two new second rowers after playing 33 times for St George Illawarra since his debut in 2019.
Partnering him as Warrior #277 is Kiwi international Marata Niukore, a club junior who played in the NYC and the New South Wales Cup but now lines up in the jersey in the NRL for the first time after 96 games with Parramatta, the last in the 2022 grand final against Penrith.
Rounding out the newcomers on the bench as Warrior #278 is gifted utility Dylan Walker, a grand final winner with South Sydney in 2014 who has made a total of 186 appearances for the Rabbitohs and Manly Warringah.

Webster’s first side reflects the 17 used in the 6-24 trial lost to Melbourne on February 19, the only change in the centres where Pompey comes in for Viliami Vailea.

This will be the first time in 25 years and just the third time in their history that the One Zealand Warriors have opened an NRL campaign on a Friday night; the last was against South Sydney in 1998 and the first unforgettably against Brisbane on March 10, 1995.

ONE NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS v NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS

8.00pm, Friday, February 28, 2023
Sky Stadium, Wellington

ONE NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS

1 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
23 EDWARD KOSI
3 BRAYDEN WILIAME
4 ADAM POMPEY
5 MARCELO MONTOYA
6 TE MAIRE MARTIN
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
8 ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE
9 WAYDE EGAN
10 MITCHELL BARNETT
11 JACKSON FORD
12 MARATA NIUKORE
13 TOHU HARRIS (c)
Interchange:
14 DYLAN WALKER
15 BUNTY AFOA
16 JOSH CURRAN
17 TOM ALE
20 FREDDY LUSSICK (reserve)