Team List: Veteran wingers back in selection mix
Seasoned wingers Dallin Watene-Zeleniak and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck are in the selection mix for the One New Zealand Warriors’ challenging round 10 away clash against the St George Illawarra Dragons at WIN Stadium in Wollongong on Saturday (5.30pm kick-off local time; 7.30pm NZT).
Head coach Andrew Webster has named 212-game veteran Watene-Zelezniak to make his first NRL appearance of the year after breaking his wrist in the Preseason Challenge match against Cronulla Sutherland more than 12 weeks ago.
The 29-year-old has been selected in his customary position on the right wing with his stand-in Taine Tuaupiki switched to the left flank.
At the same time 216-game campaigner Tuivasa-Sheck (31) has been included on the extended bench as he moves closer to returning from the hamstring injury that forced him off the field 55 minutes into the third-round encounter with the Sydney Roosters on March 21.
While Watene-Zelezniak and Tuivasa-Sheck are in contention, Webster has been forced to make backline adjustments with three outside backs sidelined before and after last Saturday’s pulsating 30-26 win over North Queensland in last weekend’s Magic Round.
Match: Dragons v Warriors
Round 10 -
home Team
Dragons
away Team
Warriors
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Dragons is number 1 Clinton GuthersonFullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
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Winger for Dragons is number 2 Tyrell SloanWinger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
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Centre for Dragons is number 3 Moses SuliCentre for Warriors is number 3 Adam Pompey
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Centre for Dragons is number 4 Valentine HolmesCentre for Warriors is number 4 Kurt Capewell
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Winger for Dragons is number 5 Corey AllanWinger for Warriors is number 5 Taine Tuaupiki
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Five-Eighth for Dragons is number 6 Kyle FlanaganFive-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita
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Halfback for Dragons is number 7 Lyhkan King-TogiaHalfback for Warriors is number 7 Luke Metcalf
Forwards
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Prop for Dragons is number 8 Toby CouchmanProp for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett
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Hooker for Dragons is number 9 Damien CookHooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
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Prop for Dragons is number 10 David KlemmerProp for Warriors is number 17 Bunty Afoa
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2nd Row for Dragons is number 12 Jaydn Su'A2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Leka Halasima
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2nd Row for Dragons is number 16 Luciano Leilua2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Marata Niukore
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Lock for Dragons is number 13 Hamish StewartLock for Warriors is number 13 Erin Clark
Interchange
-
Interchange for Dragons is number 11 Dylan EganInterchange for Warriors is number 8 Jackson Ford
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Interchange for Dragons is number 14 Jacob LiddleInterchange for Warriors is number 15 Jacob Laban
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Interchange for Dragons is number 15 Jack De BelinInterchange for Warriors is number 16 Demitric Vaimauga
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Interchange for Dragons is number 17 Loko Pasifiki TongaInterchange for Warriors is number 18 Te Maire Martin
Reserves
-
Replacement for Dragons is number 19 Raymond Faitala-MarinerReplacement for Warriors is number 23 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
Match Officials
- Referee: Liam Kennedy
- Touch Judge: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
- Touch Judge: Wyatt Raymond
- Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein
Last updated:
Preferred centres Ali Leiataua (ankle) and Rocco Berry (hamstring) are both out for a few weeks each.
Leiataua’s injury, picked up in training last Thursday, sees him out of action until round 13-14 while Berry is scheduled to return in round 14-15.
Not only that, back-up winger Edward Kosi is out with a chest injury he suffered early in the match against the Cowboys but courageously played out the full 80 minutes. The extent of the injury is yet to be confirmed.
With Leiataua and Berry both unavailable, second rower Kurt Capewell has been moved to the centres again where he filled in after Berry left the field in the 52nd minute; he was also used in the centres in the round seven win over Brisbane.
With Capewell moved, Marata Niukore, who started in the front row against Newcastle and North Queensland, reverts to the second row with Jackson Ford to start at prop.
Hooker Sam Healey is named in #14 after making his NRL debut against the Cowboys with second rower Jacob Laban returning to the interchange after standing down last week as he followed concussion protocols.
Sitting third on the ladder on 14 points, the Warriors are seeking their seventh win in nine matches this season and their fourth on end but WIN Stadium has proved to be one of their most difficult venues historically with 11 losses there against the Dragons in 13 attempts.
Sitting third on the ladder on 14 points, the Warriors are seeking their seventh win in nine matches this season and their fourth on end but WIN Stadium has proved to be one of their most difficult venues historically with 11 losses there against the Dragons in 13 attempts. However, they have won two of the last three games in Wollongong (18-12 in 2018 and 48-18 in 2023) while losing 12-30 there last year.
