Rd 20 Confirmed Line-up: Changes to forward pack

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Sun 16 Jul 2023, 01:00 PM

One New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster has shuffled his starting forward pack for today’s round 20 NRL encounter with Cronulla Sutherland at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart (4.00pm kick-off).

Tom Ale is moved off the interchange to start at prop, Mitchell Barnett shifts from the front row to the second row and Josh Curran switches to the bench.

The final make-up of the bench is Curran, Freddy Lussick, Bayley Sironen and Dylan Walker.

Missing from the line-up for the first time this season is front rower Bunty Afoa.

The 26-year-old is out for a week as he follows NRL concussion protocols after receiving a head knock in Saturday night’s emphatic 46-10 win over Parramatta.

Round 20 - Round 20 - Sunday 16 Jul

Full Time

Warriors

Sharks

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 William Kennedy
Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

Winger for Sharks is number 2 Sione Katoa
Centre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco Berry

Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse Ramien
Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey

Centre for Sharks is number 4 Siosifa Talakai
Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya

Winger for Sharks is number 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo
Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke Metcalf

Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Matt Moylan
Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson

Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Nicholas Hynes

Forwards

Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake

Prop for Sharks is number 8 Oregon Kaufusi
Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan

Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke Brailey
Prop for Warriors is number 16 Tom Ale

Prop for Sharks is number 10 Toby Rudolf
2nd Row for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett

2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora
2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford

2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Teig Wilton
Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu Harris

Lock for Sharks is number 13 Cameron McInnes

Interchange

Interchange for Warriors is number 12 Josh Curran

Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Wade Graham
Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Freddy Lussick

Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Thomas Hazelton
Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Bayley Sironen

Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Jack Williams
Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Dylan Walker

Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Jesse Colquhoun

Reserves

Replacement for Warriors is number 23 Viliami Vailea

Replacement for Sharks is number 18 Connor Tracey

Match Officials

Referee: Gerard Sutton
Touch Judge: Liam Kennedy
Senior Review Official: Matt Noyen

Last updated: 12/8/2023 1:10:44 AM

Afoa, one of six players to appear in the first 17 matches this season, ends a run of 48 consecutive appearances stretching back to mid-July 2021.

While Webster has been forced to adjust his forward pack, the backline remains unchanged for the fourth match running.

Wingers Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Marcelo Montoya have both been in impressive try-scoring form. Watene-Zelezniak has scored 13 tries (his most in a season) in 11 games, 11 of them in his last seven outings, while Montoya’s early double against the Eels boosted his tally to eight, the side’s second top try scorer.

The Warriors head into today's contest on the back of four convincing wins in their last five matches offset by the disappointing 6-28 defeat by South Sydney at a water-logged Go Media Stadium in their last home appearance on June 30. Across the five games they have scored a total of 166 points while conceding 78.

They lie sixth on 24 points with a 10-7 win-loss record, two points behind the third-placed Sharks, who have had all three of their byes.

When the two sides met in round five on April 2, the One New Zealand Warriors pulled off one the game’s most remarkable comebacks, recovering from a 0-20 deficit to win 32-30.

Less than a month ago the Sharks plummeted to a grim 10-54 loss to Melbourne but they’ve rebounded since with big wins over Canterbury Bankstown (48-10), St George Illawarra (52-16) and the Wests Tigers (36-12) to lead the competition for most points scored with 457.

They enjoy a strong recent record against the One New Zealand Warriors having won 10 of the last 13 matches between the two clubs dating back to 2015.

Today's match has attracted the fifth consecutive 20,000-plus crowd at Go Media Stadium this season on a day when the One New Zealand Warriors will acknowledge Matariki by wearing their 2023 Indigenous jersey Te Kāhu Kura.

In another feature the club will honour Shaun Johnson, Dylan Walker, Addin Fonua-Blake and Wayde Egan in front of their home crowd after they all achieved major personal milestones last week.