Rd 25 Team List: Charnse Nicoll-Klokstad and Bunty Afoa back

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Tue 15 Aug 2023, 04:00 PM

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Bunty Afoa return but Mitchell Barnett has been ruled out for the One New Zealand Warriors’ round 25 encounter with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at Daniel Anderson Stadium on Friday night (8.00pm kick-off).

Also confirmed in the line-up is hooker Wayde Egan, who was cleared of a serious throat injury when he was taken to hospital as a precaution after being forced of the field just 22 minutes into last Saturday night’s clash against the Wests Tigers in Hamilton.

Nicoll-Klokstad missed the match as he followed NRL concussion protocols following a head knock early in the round 23 contest against the Titans while Afoa had a 49-minute stint with the club’s New South Wales Cup side in its 26-16 win over Western Suburbs.

Nicoll-Klokstad replaces Taine Tuaupiki while Afoa comes in for an injured Barnett, who will be out for a week after needing stitches for a laceration below the knee following the battle with the Wests Tigers.

The One New Zealand Warriors go into Friday night’s contest with a chance of extending their winning run to six matches following victories over Parramatta (46-10), Cronulla Sutherland (44-12), Canberra (21-20), Gold Coast (28-18) and the Wests Tigers (30-22).

The last time a Warriors side posted six consecutive wins was 21 years ago when the 2002 team put together a club record eight straight victories on the way to making the grand final. The only other instance of six wins on end was achieved by the original Warriors in 1995.

Round 25 - Round 25 - Friday 18 Aug

Full Time

Warriors

Sea Eagles

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad

Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Reuben Garrick
Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jason Saab
Centre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco Berry

Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Tolutau Koula
Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey

Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Morgan Harper
Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya

Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega
Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke Metcalf

Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 14 Jake Arthur
Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson

Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Daly Cherry-Evans

Forwards

Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake

Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Toafofoa Sipley
Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan

Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Lachlan Croker
Prop for Warriors is number 10 Bunty Afoa

Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Sean Keppie
2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford

2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu
2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Marata Niukore

2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Kelma Tuilagi
Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu Harris

Lock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Jake Trbojevic

Interchange

Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Dylan Walker

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 6 Josh Schuster
Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Bayley Sironen

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Dean Matterson
Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Josh Curran

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Aaron Woods
Interchange for Warriors is number 21 Freddy Lussick

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 17 Ethan Bullemor

Reserves

Replacement for Warriors is number 20 Taine Tuaupiki

Replacement for Sea Eagles is number 18 Gordon Chan Kum Tong

Match Officials

Referee: Todd Smith
Touch Judge: Darian Furner
Touch Judge: Kasey Badger
Senior Review Official: Gerard Sutton

Last updated: 12/8/2023 1:10:41 AM

The Andrew Webster-coached side sits alone in third spot on the ladder on 34 points with a 14-7 record including nine wins in its last 11 matches since the Magic Round defeat by Penrith in early May.

Friday night’s match sets up a 100-250 double celebration for the One New Zealand Warriors in their 26th round encounter with St George Illawarra on August 25; captain Tohu Harris makes his 99th appearance for the Warriors this week while halfback Shaun Johnson plays his 250th career match.

The Sea Eagles, playing in Auckland for the first time since 2019, have lost their last two matches but are still only three points off eighth spot.

They remain the One New Zealand Warriors’ most difficult opponents of the teams in the NRL today having won just 12 of 39 matches against them.