Rd 15 Team Update: No changes for clash against Raiders

Rd 15 Team Update: On track to field team as selected

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Thu 8 Jun 2023, 05:58 PM

No changes have been made to the One New Zealand Warriors’ selected starting line-up 24 hours ahead of tomorrow night’s 15th-round NRL clash against the Raiders at GIO Stadium in Canberra (6.00pm kick-off local time; 8.00pm NZT).

Fullback Taine Tuaupiki and halfback Ronald Volkman have been retained from the extended bench as the 18th and 19th players.

The three to drop off are hooker Freddy Lussick, centre Brayden Wiliame and prop Zyon Maiu’u.

Lussick, Wiliame and Maiu’u are in line to play for the club’s New South Wales Cup side against the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday.

Three of the Warriors’ NRL side will mark 50-game milestones tomorrow night.

Back rower Josh Curran, who made one appearance for the Roosters in 2019, will play his 50th career match and his 49th for the Warriors (his 50th for the club is set to be achieved against St George Illawarra on June 23).

Round 15 - Round 15 - Friday 9 Jun

Full Time

Raiders

Warriors

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Raiders is number 1 Sebastian Kris

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
Winger for Raiders is number 2 Albert Hopoate

Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Centre for Raiders is number 3 Jarrod Croker

Centre for Warriors is number 3 Ali Leiataua
Centre for Raiders is number 4 Matthew Timoko

Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey
Winger for Raiders is number 5 Jordan Rapana

Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya
Five-Eighth for Raiders is number 6 Jack Wighton

Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke Metcalf
Halfback for Raiders is number 7 Jamal Fogarty

Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson

Forwards

Prop for Raiders is number 8 Josh Papali'i

Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
Hooker for Raiders is number 9 Zac Woolford

Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
Prop for Raiders is number 10 Joseph Tapine

Prop for Warriors is number 10 Bunty Afoa
2nd Row for Raiders is number 11 Hudson Young

2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford
2nd Row for Raiders is number 12 Elliott Whitehead

2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Marata Niukore
Lock for Raiders is number 13 Corey Horsburgh

Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu Harris

Interchange

Interchange for Raiders is number 14 Tom Starling

Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Bayley Sironen
Interchange for Raiders is number 15 Emre Guler

Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Josh Curran
Interchange for Raiders is number 16 Nick Cotric

Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Mitchell Barnett
Interchange for Raiders is number 17 Pasami Saulo

Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Tom Ale

Reserves

Replacement for Raiders is number 18 Matt Frawley

Replacement for Warriors is number 20 Taine Tuaupiki

Match Officials

Referee: Grant Atkins
Touch Judge: Drew Oultram
Touch Judge: Dave Munro
Senior Review Official: Kasey Badger

Last updated: 12/8/2023 1:10:47 AM

Prop Addin Fonua-Blake and winger Marcelo Montoya reach their 50th milestone for the Warriors after joining the club in 2021.

Making his NRL debut as Warrior #282 tomorrow night is centre Ali Leiataua, 19 years after his uncle and rugby league legend Ali Lauitiiti played his last game for the club.

Leiataua has been brought in to replace Rocco Berry who has been ruled out after being concussed early in Saturday night’s 30-8 win over the Dolphins.

It’s the only change to the 17-man squad used on Saturday night with Dylan Walker ruled out for the third week running with a fractured toe.

The 20-year-old Leiataua has been in outstanding form for the club’s New South Wales Cup side throughout the season, scoring nine tries in 13 appearances including two superb efforts in Saturday’s 22-24 loss to South Sydney.

Averaging 136 metres a game, he has made nine line-breaks along with six try assists and 51 tackle breaks.

In the club’s system since he was 14, Leiataua was a foundation member of the One New Zealand Warriors’ first SG Ball Cup under-18 side in 2020. While based in Redcliffe with the Warriors last season, he scored 13 tries in 13 appearances for the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Queensland Rugby League colts’ competition.

His sister Onjeurlina was in the Warriors’ first NRLW team in 2018 and again in 2019 while his uncle Ali (Warrior #55) played 115 times for the Warriors from 1998-2004.

The trip to Canberra will be a night for milestones with Leiataua becoming Warrior #282 on the same day Raiders centre Jarrod Croker plays his 300th match, the 48th player to do so in the competition’s history.

The Warriors and Canberra go into Friday night’s match separated by just one place and one win on the table. The Raiders sit sixth on 18 points with an 8-5 record while the Warriors are seventh on 16 points with a 7-6 return.