The One New Zealand Warriors will again be relying on a set of young forwards when they take on the fifth-placed St George Illawarra in their seventh-round New South Wales Cup encounter at Collegians Sporting Complex in Wollongong on Saturday (1.00pm kick-off local time; 3.00pm NZT).
With the club’s stocks of experienced middle forwards depleted through injury, New South Wales Cup David Tangata-Toa has been working with players on the way up.
In last week’s clash against the Sea Eagles, captain Kalani Going (27) was the only player in the starting pack who was older than 20 and it’s no different this week.
In a selection setback the Warriors are without exciting 18-year-old second rower Leka Halasima.
Match: Dragons v Warriors
Round 7 -
home Team
Dragons
away Team
Warriors
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Dragons is number 1 Mathew FeagaiFullback for Warriors is number 1 Taine Tuaupiki
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Winger for Dragons is number 2 Sione FinauWinger for Warriors is number 2 Setu Tu
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Centre for Dragons is number 3 Max FeagaiCentre for Warriors is number 4 Ali Leiataua
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Centre for Dragons is number 4 Benjamin JohnsonCentre for Warriors is number 22 Sio Kali
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Winger for Dragons is number 5 Savelio TamaleWinger for Warriors is number 5 Edward Kosi
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Five-Eighth for Dragons is number 6 Josh RalphFive-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Ben Farr
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Halfback for Dragons is number 21 Jesse MarschkeHalfback for Warriors is number 20 Luke Hanson
Forwards
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Prop for Dragons is number 8 Alec TuitavakeProp for Warriors is number 8 Zyon Maiu'u
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Hooker for Dragons is number 9 Connor MuhleisenHooker for Warriors is number 9 Jacob David Jnr Auloa
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Prop for Dragons is number 10 Toby CouchmanProp for Warriors is number 10 Tanner Stowers-Smith
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2nd Row for Dragons is number 11 Dylan Egan2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
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2nd Row for Dragons is number 12 Ryan Couchman2nd Row for Warriors is number 18 Maia Sands
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Lock for Dragons is number 19 Michael MoloLock for Warriors is number 12 Kalani Going
Interchange
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Interchange for Dragons is number 14 Haele FinauInterchange for Warriors is number 13 Harry Durbin
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Interchange for Dragons is number 15 Dan RussellInterchange for Warriors is number 14 Geronimo Doyle
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Interchange for Dragons is number 16 Joshua CoricInterchange for Warriors is number 16 Toni Tupouniua
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Interchange for Dragons is number 20 Viliami FifitaInterchange for Warriors is number 17 Quinnlan Tupou
Reserves
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Replacement for Dragons is number 7 Jonah GloverReplacement for Warriors is number 21 Etuate Fukofuka
Last updated:
In his first outing of the season he immediately showcased the strong points of his game against the Sea Eagles, not least with his 68th minute try which put his side ahead 18-16 only to yield two late tries to lose 18-24.
Unfortunately Halasima was placed on report for two incidents during the game and has been suspended for two matches.
In his absence Going has been named in the second row with Jersey Flegg Cup captain Harry Durbin listed at loose forward, continuing his rise through the ranks.
The 20-year-old was in the club’s SG Ball Cup (under-19) side last season but, after starting this year in the Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) team, he has been promoted to reserve grade level being used off the interchange in the last two games against South Sydney (28 minutes) and the Sea Eagles (37 minutes).
Another Jersey Flegg Cup player brought into the side is big forward Toby Crosby (20) who has been included on the interchange.
A schoolboy rugby union star with St Patrick's College Silverstream in Upper Hutt, the Greytown product was snapped up by the Warriors where he has been moved up to the front row after operating as a loose forward in union.
Jaydee Auloa (19), who started the season as the SG Ball’s Cup side’s co-captain, is in the side as the starting hooker again tomorrow having distinguished himself by making a game-high 42 tackles with no misses against the Sea Eagles last week.
While the Warriors have a 2-4 record after losing to the Sea Eagles last weekend, the Dragons are 3-2 from the five games they’ve played following their 24-18 win against Western Suburbs last week.
