Rd 23 Team Update: Three omitted for Warriors' clash against Titans

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Thu 3 Aug 2023, 06:01 PM

Hooker Freddy Lussick, halfback Ronald Volkman and prop Tom Ale have been omitted from the 19-man game day squad ahead of the One New Zealand Warriors’ 23rd-round NRL clash against the Gold Coast Titans at Cbus Super Stadium in Robina tomorrow night (6.00pm kick-off local time; 8.00pm NZT).

The two players retained from the extended bench at the 24-hour deadline are utility forward Jazz Tevaga and fullback Taine Tuaupiki.

Lussick, Volkman and Ale are all set to line up for the second-placed One New Zealand Warriors in their round 23 New South Wales Cup clash against fifth-ranked Penrith in Sydney on Saturday.

The 27-year-old Tevaga was selected in jersey #18 on Tuesday making his long-awaited reappearance in the squad after being sidelined since leaving the field with a calf injury just 22 minutes into the Anzac Day encounter with Melbourne.

Tevaga moves another step closer to renewing the potent partnership he formed with new recruit Dylan Walker in the earlier rounds of the season, the pair lifting energy levels and intensity when they operated in tandem in the middle of the park.

Their combined impact was telling as the One New Zealand Warriors put together a run of victories over North Queensland, Canterbury Bankstown and Cronulla Sutherland in rounds three, four and five before beating the Cowboys again in round seven.

Round 23 - Round 23 - Friday 4 Aug

Full Time

Titans

Warriors

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Titans is number 14 Jayden Campbell

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
Winger for Titans is number 2 Alofiana Khan-Pereira

Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Centre for Titans is number 3 Brian Kelly

Centre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco Berry
Centre for Titans is number 4 Aaron Schoupp

Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey
Winger for Titans is number 5 Phillip Sami

Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya
Five-Eighth for Titans is number 6 Kieran Foran

Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke Metcalf
Halfback for Titans is number 7 Tanah Boyd

Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson

Forwards

Prop for Titans is number 8 Moeaki Fotuaika

Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
Hooker for Titans is number 15 Chris Randall

Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
Prop for Titans is number 10 Isaac Liu

Prop for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett
2nd Row for Titans is number 11 David Fifita

2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford
2nd Row for Titans is number 12 Joe Stimson

2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Marata Niukore
Lock for Titans is number 13 Erin Clark

Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu Harris

Interchange

Interchange for Titans is number 9 Sam Verrills

Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Dylan Walker
Interchange for Titans is number 16 Klese Haas

Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Bayley Sironen
Interchange for Titans is number 17 Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui

Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Josh Curran
Interchange for Titans is number 18 Keano Kini

Interchange for Warriors is number 18 Jazz Tevaga

Reserves

Replacement for Titans is number 19 Jacob Alick
Reserve for Warriors is number 20 Taine Tuaupiki

Match Officials

Referee: Ben Cummins
Senior Review Official: Kasey Badger

Last updated: 12/8/2023 1:10:42 AM

The Warriors made a fizzing start against the Storm on Anzac Day leading 12-0 and then 18-6 before Tevaga’s night was ended by the calf issue which forced him to sit out more than three months and miss the club’s last 11 matches.

After a delayed start to the campaign he made a key contribution in his six appearances averaging 122 metres and 33 tackles a game, his partnership with fellow shaven-headed teammate Walker leading to them being dubbed the ‘bald brothers’.

Coming out of the team’s third bye, One New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster said he is hopeful Tevaga will be able to play this week but that call is yet to be made.

As it stands now, Webster has named the same 17 players used in the round 21 golden point win over Canberra on July 21.

It’s the sixth match on end that he has been able to select the same backline of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Rocco Berry, the just re-signed Adam Pompey, Marcelo Montoya, Luke Metcalf and Shaun Johnson.

Utility forward Bayley Sironen is poised to make his 50th appearance for the One New Zealand Warriors while Johnson will move within two games of his 250th career milestone and captain Tohu Harris will make his 97th appearance for the Warriors.

Tevaga ecstatic as he scores to put Warriors in front

After winning five of their first 10 matches of the season, the Warriors have won seven of their last nine, a period which has seen them score 277 points (average: 30.77 a game) while conceding just 148 (average: 16.44 a game).

With a 12-7 record they sit third on the ladder with 30 points having conceded just 346 points, the second fewest so far this season.

They head into tomorrow night’s contest with an impressive 6-3 away record but the Titans have been challenging opponents in recent seasons winning four of the last five contest between the two clubs.

They’re coming off an impressive 22-13 win over North Queensland on Sunday which moved them to 12th on 22 points, four short of the eighth-placed Cowboys.