State Championship Team List: Same squad to face Bears
A second major championship title within a week beckons for the New South Wales Cup premiership-winning One New Zealand Warriors when they face the Burleigh Bears in the NRL State Championship final at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Sunday (1.20pm kick-off local time; 3.20pm NZDT).
The contest is the first of three championship deciders followed by the NRLW showdown between the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos (4.00pm kick-off local time; 6.00pm NZDT) and the Melbourne Storm-Brisbane Broncos NRL grand final (7.30pm kick-off local time; 9.30pm NZDT).
The Warriors earned the right to play in the State Championship final by surging to the club’s maiden senior premiership with a 30-12 win over the St George Illawarra Dragons at CommBank Stadium last Sunday.
The Burleigh Bears claimed their berth the previous day with a convincing 22-8 victory over the Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup grand final at Kayo Stadium in Redcliffe.
One New Zealand Warriors head coach David Tangata-Toa has retained the same 17 players used against the Dragons while adding five 2025 squad members on an extended bench – fullback Geronimo Doyle, props Toby Crosby and Harry Durbin, hooker Makaia Tafua and centre Caelys Putoko.
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Taine TuaupikiFullback for Bears is number 1 Nicholas O'Meley
-
Winger for Warriors is number 2 Setu TuWinger for Bears is number 2 Troy Leo
-
Centre for Warriors is number 3 Ali LeiatauaCentre for Bears is number 3 Sami Sauiluma
-
Centre for Warriors is number 4 Moala Graham-TaufaCentre for Bears is number 4 Kea Pere
-
Winger for Warriors is number 5 Edward KosiWinger for Bears is number 5 Mitch Watson
-
Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke HansonFive-Eighth for Bears is number 6 Josh Rogers
-
Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Tanah BoydHalfback for Bears is number 7 Guy Hamilton
Forwards
-
Prop for Warriors is number 8 Bunty AfoaProp for Bears is number 8 Fletcher Baker
-
Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Samuel HealeyHooker for Bears is number 9 Paul Roache
-
Prop for Warriors is number 10 Tanner Stowers-SmithProp for Bears is number 10 Matthew Koellner
-
2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Kayliss Fatialofa2nd Row for Bears is number 11 Adam Christensen
-
2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava2nd Row for Bears is number 12 Ewan Moore
-
Lock for Warriors is number 13 Kalani GoingLock for Bears is number 13 Sam Coster
Interchange
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Jett ClearyInterchange for Bears is number 14 Cole Geyer
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Jason Seu SalaliloInterchange for Bears is number 15 Lorenzo Mulitalo
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Tom AleInterchange for Bears is number 16 Takitau Mapapalangi
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Freddy LussickInterchange for Bears is number 17 Lochlyn Sheldon
Reserves
-
Replacement for Warriors is number 18 Geronimo DoyleReplacement for Bears is number 18 Jordan Scott
Match Officials
- Senior Review Official: Liam Kennedy
Last updated:
The day will be poignant for prop Bunty Afoa who will bookend his Warriors career with a second grand final at Accor Stadium 11 years after being in the club’s winning NYC side in 2014 while the match will also be a farewell occasion for other NRL squad members winger Edward Kosi, centre Moala Graham-Taufa and prop Tom Ale.
With an exceptional record of 23 wins, a draw and just three losses in their completed New South Wales Cup campaign, the Warriors have the opportunity to secure a third title this season after winning the minor premiership and adding the grand final.
While they will create more history with their debut in the State Championship, the Bears will be making their third appearance after losses to the Illawarra Steelers in 2016 and the Newtown Jets in 2019.
The State Championship pitting the New South Wales Cup and Queensland Cup premiers against each other was introduced in 2014.
Of the nine encounters (two were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid), New South Wales Cup clubs have won six and Queensland Cup sides three.
Making his second straight appearance in the fixture will be Warriors hooker Sam Healey who was on the bench for the Newtown Jets when they lost 18-20 to the Norths Devils last year.
Lining up against Healey in the #9 jersey for Burleigh will be Paul Roache, who was a New South Wales Cup regular for the Warriors in 2023 and 2024 making a total of 30 appearances for the club as well playing four NRL games.
A number of the Warriors’ players have close links with the Queensland Cup.
Halfback Tanah Boyd and fullback Taine Tuaupiki will face some of their ex-teammates; Boyd played 14 games for Burleigh from 2019-2021 while Tuaupiki made 23 appearances in 2021 and 2022. He was crowned the Queensland Cup player of the year in 2022 before starting his time with the Warriors in 2023.
Kosi, Ale and hooker Freddy Lussick all appeared for the Warriors’ feeder club Redcliffe during the Covid era, captain Kalani Going had a stint with the Tweed Seagulls in 2018-2019 and Tu was with the Redcliffe club in 2021-2022.
While based in Australia training with the Warriors in 2022, centre Ali Leiataua scored 13 tries in 13 matches for Redcliffe in the Queensland colts’ competition.
