Last week’s hard-fought away draw against Newcastle has provided more belief for the One New Zealand Warriors as they take a three-match unbeaten streak into their 10th-round Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) match against the Sydney Roosters at North Harbour Stadium on Sunday (10.00am kick-off).
After picking up their first win of the season against St George Illawarra three weeks ago, they followed with a 28-20 victory over Penrith and then hung in to snatch a 14-14 draw with a late penalty against Newcastle last Sunday.
In tough conditions, it was a contest they might well have won as they dominated so many areas with more possession (56 per cent), a far superior completion rate (80 per cent), just 15 missed tackles to 30 and nine errors to 14.
The result left the Warriors with two wins, a draw and five losses from the eight matches they’ve played but with the knowledge they have improved immeasurably since decisive defeats in the first three weeks of the season when they conceded a total of 116 points.
Match: Warriors v Roosters
Round 10 -
home Team
Warriors
away Team
Roosters
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Motu PasikalaFullback for Roosters is number 1 Owen Flaherty
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Winger for Warriors is number 2 Garry TuilekutuWinger for Roosters is number 2 Turoa Williams
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Sefanaia Cowley-LupoCentre for Roosters is number 3 Cathane Hill
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Centre for Warriors is number 11 Alvin Chong NeeCentre for Roosters is number 4 Enzo Griffier
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Rapheal SioWinger for Roosters is number 5 Benjamin Taylor
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Cassius CowleyFive-Eighth for Roosters is number 6 Josh Durkin
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Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Caleb LaimanHalfback for Roosters is number 7 Zac Sarfati
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Tobias CrosbyProp for Roosters is number 8 Lafi Tuinauvai
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Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Jeriko Filipi-TalisauHooker for Roosters is number 14 Christian Abal
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Prop for Warriors is number 21 Paaua Papuni-abbottProp for Roosters is number 10 Zack Visconti
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Sialetili Faeamani2nd Row for Roosters is number 11 Ethan Roberts
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 18 Presley Seumanu Tigafua2nd Row for Roosters is number 12 Hayden Barton
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Lock for Warriors is number 13 Ieti SamueluLock for Roosters is number 18 Tyler ESSEX
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Etuate FukofukaInterchange for Roosters is number 13 Zac Gillett
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Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Francis TuimaugaInterchange for Roosters is number 16 Peter Benjamin Uini
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Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Ben PeniInterchange for Roosters is number 17 Brody Briggs
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Interchange for Warriors is number 20 Robin HerbertInterchange for Roosters is number 19 Oshay Tyerman
Reserves
-
Replacement for Warriors is number 3 Kalani Peyroux-Donaldson
Last updated:
In their last five outings they’ve allowed an average of less than 19 points a game and had a fair chance of winning all of them.
In the Roosters they face a side which has been up and down in the last four rounds, losing to the Knights, beating the Eels, going down to the Dragons and trouncing the Storm 38-8 last weekend.
The Warriors are again set to be without impressive fullback Motu Pasikala, who started the season in the club’s SG Ball Cup (under-17) side before moving up to Jersey Flegg and then his New South Wales Cup debut last week.
The New South Wales Cup squad boasts a number of other Jersey Flegg-eligible players in centre Sio Kali, hooker Makaia Tafua, second rower Eddie Ieremia and interchange forwards Jaydee Auloa, Kayliss Fatialofa and Harry Durbin.
