Utility back Kalyn Takitimu-Cook will make her NRLW debut while rookie prop Metanoia Fotu-Moala has been ruled out of the One New Zealand Warriors’ round eight NRLW encounter with Cronulla Sutherland at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton tomorrow (3.45pm kick-off).
Fotu-Moala, so impressive since her debut in round four, has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Her spot has been taken by 18-year-old front rower Ashlee Matapo who’ll make her first start after being used off the interchange in four appearances so far this season.
Takitimu-Cook (25) is elevated to the bench for her NRLW debut. She has a strong rugby union background but switched to rugby league last year playing for the Richmond Roses in the Auckland competition and then helping the Akarana Falcons win the New Zealand Rugby League’s national premiership.
Fotu-Moala’s injury is yet another setback for the Warriors.
Match: Warriors v Sharks
Round 8 -
home Team
Warriors
away Team
Sharks
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Apii NichollsFullback for Sharks is number 1 Emma Verran
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Winger for Warriors is number 2 Tyra WetereWinger for Sharks is number 2 Cassie Staples
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Centre for Warriors is number 3 Kaiyah AtaiCentre for Sharks is number 3 Tiana Penitani Gray
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Shakira BakerCentre for Sharks is number 4 Grace-Lee Weekes
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Payton TakimoanaWinger for Sharks is number 5 Georgia Ravics
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Patricia MaliepoFive-Eighth for Sharks is number 14 Tyla King
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Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Emmanita PakiHalfback for Sharks is number 7 Chantay Kiria-Ratu
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Lavinia KitaiProp for Sharks is number 8 Ellie Johnston
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Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Lydia Turua-QuedleyHooker for Sharks is number 6 Georgia Hannaway
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Prop for Warriors is number 16 Ashlee MatapoProp for Sharks is number 10 Stephanie Faulkner
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Maarire Puketapu2nd Row for Sharks is number 13 Talei Holmes
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Makayla Eli2nd Row for Sharks is number 22 Rhiannon Byers
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Lock for Warriors is number 13 Laishon Albert-JonesLock for Sharks is number 9 Brooke Anderson
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Capri PaekauInterchange for Sharks is number 11 Manilita Takapautolo
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Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Harata ButlerInterchange for Sharks is number 12 Anne-Marie Kiria-Ratu
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Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Ivana LauitiitiInterchange for Sharks is number 17 Caitlan Johnston-Green
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Interchange for Warriors is number 19 Kalyn Takitimu-CookInterchange for Sharks is number 18 Jada Taylor
Reserves
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Replacement for Warriors is number 18 Avery-Rose CarmontReplacement for Sharks is number 16 Nakia Davis-Welsh
Match Officials
- Senior Review Official: Matt Noyen
Last updated:
They’ve lost Tysha Ikenasio for three games to suspension and Matekino Gray for two games after both were sent off in last week’s match against Canberra.
Halfback Emily Curtain (knee) is out for the rest of the season and winger Lavinia Tauhalaliku, who scored in her club debut last week, has been ruled out for this game as she follows concussion protocols.
Also unavailable are winger Michaela Brake (pregnancy) and prop Mya Hill-Moana (maternity).
On the positive side captain Apii Nicholls and standoff Patricia Maliepo are back to bolster the side.
Nicholls (pectoral) and Maliepo (calf) were ruled out of Saturday night’s Indigenous Round clash against the Canberra Raiders but return in a battle which pits the sixth-placed Warriors against the Sharks sitting two points ahead in fifth.
One New Zealand Warriors head coach Ron Griffiths has named a rearranged side in the wake of Ikenasio and Gray being sent off in the 16-20 loss to the Raiders.
Nicholls resumes her customary role at fullback with Emmanita Paki, who played there against Canberra, listed at halfback in tandem with Maliepo.
Tyra Wetere comes back on the right wing for Tauhalaliku, Shakira Baker has been moved into the centres and Lydia Turua-Quedley switched back to hooker after being used at halfback.
Despite their loss to Canberra, the Warriors remain in the top six with a 3-4 record while the Sharks collected their fourth win last weekend with a 12-8 victory over the Titans.
The Warriors all but overcame the disadvantage of having just 11 players for most of the contest.
Falling 0-16 behind immediately after they were reduced to 11 with Ikenasio’s departure, they then outscored the Raiders 16-4 over the last 45 minutes of the match.
They had a 58%-42% advantage in possession while their completion rate was 78% to Canberra’s 67 per cent.
They were also clearly ahead in metres gained (1107-938), post contact metres (452-279), tackle breaks (42-28), missed tackles (28-42), ineffective tackles (3-13) and errors (8-15).
Individually they had four players who topped 100 metres in Harata Butler (146), Baker (141), Lauitiiti (124) and Kaiyah Atai (117).
Winger Payton Takimoana’s second hat-trick in her rookie season elevated her to the top of the competition’s try-scoring list.
