Standoff Chanel Harris-Tavita’s inclusion for the injured Luke Metcalf is the only change to the starting lineup named for the One New Zealand Warriors’ round six NRL encounter with the Storm at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Saturday (7.35pm kick-off local time; 9.35pm NZT).
With a hamstring injury sidelining playmaker Metcalf, Harris-Tavita is back in the #6 jersey he wore in the first three rounds alongside halfback Tanah Boyd.
The 27-year-old Harris-Tavita will make his 98th career appearance on Saturday night which would leave him in line to reach his 100-game milestone in the Anzac Day clash against the Dolphins at Hnry Stadium in Wellington.
Centre Adam Pompey has been named after being charged with a grade two dangerous contact offence following Sunday’s 22-36 loss to the Cronulla Sutherland.
A guilty plea has been entered to the incident involving Sharks back rower Briton Nikora but the grading is being disputed at a judiciary hearing this evening.
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Storm is number 1 Sualauvi FaalogoFullback for Warriors is number 1 Taine Tuaupiki
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Winger for Storm is number 2 Will WarbrickWinger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
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Centre for Storm is number 3 Jack HowarthCentre for Warriors is number 3 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
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Centre for Storm is number 4 Nick MeaneyCentre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey
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Winger for Storm is number 5 Moses LeoWinger for Warriors is number 5 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
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Five-Eighth for Storm is number 6 Cameron MunsterFive-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita
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Halfback for Storm is number 7 Jahrome HughesHalfback for Warriors is number 7 Tanah Boyd
Forwards
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Prop for Storm is number 8 Stefano UtoikamanuProp for Warriors is number 8 James Fisher-Harris
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Hooker for Storm is number 9 Harry GrantHooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
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Prop for Storm is number 10 Josh KingProp for Warriors is number 10 Jackson Ford
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2nd Row for Storm is number 11 Joe Chan2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Leka Halasima
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2nd Row for Storm is number 12 Cooper Clarke2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Jacob Laban
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Lock for Storm is number 13 Trent LoieroLock for Warriors is number 13 Erin Clark
Interchange
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Interchange for Storm is number 14 Tyran WishartInterchange for Warriors is number 14 Sam Healey
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Interchange for Storm is number 15 Alec MacDonaldInterchange for Warriors is number 15 Marata Niukore
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Interchange for Storm is number 16 Jack HetheringtonInterchange for Warriors is number 16 Demitric Vaimauga
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Interchange for Storm is number 17 Davvy MoaleInterchange for Warriors is number 17 Tanner Stowers-Smith
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Interchange for Storm is number 18 Lazarus VaalepuInterchange for Warriors is number 18 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
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Interchange for Storm is number 19 Manaia WaitereInterchange for Warriors is number 22 Luke Hanson
Reserves
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Reserve for Storm is number 20 Preston ConnReserve for Warriors is number 20 Alofiana Khan-Pereira
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Reserve for Storm is number 21 Hugo PeelReserve for Warriors is number 21 Morgan Gannon
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Reserve for Storm is number 22 Trent ToelauReserve for Warriors is number 23 Ali Leiataua
Storm Ins
- Hugo Peel
- Jack Howarth
- Moses Leo
- Trent Toelau
Warriors Ins
- Ali Leiataua
- Alofiana Khan-Pereira
- Luke Hanson
- Morgan Gannon
Storm Outs
- Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown
Warriors Ins
- Luke Metcalf
Last updated:
The first four players listed on the interchange in jerseys 14-17 are the same as the quartet used against the Sharks – hooker Sam Healey, back rower Marata Niukore and middle forwards Demitric Vaimauga and Tanner Stowers-Smith.
Back rower Eddie Ieremia-Toeava is again named as a reserve while winger Alofi’ana Khan-Pereira takes the sixth spot.
The three players in the extended squad are second rower Morgan Gannon, standoff Luke Hanson and centre Ali Leiataua, who were all on New South Wales Cup duty in last Saturday’s win over Newtown.
The Warriors and Melbourne both go into the contest coming off disappointing results.
After averaging 40 points a game in their three season-opening wins over the Sydney Roosters, Canberra and Newcastle, the One New Zealand Warriors have suffered back-to-back losses to the Wests Tigers and Cronulla-Sutherland to slip to fifth.
The Storm were the early pacesetters scoring 98 points in two big wins over Parramatta (52-4) and St George Illawarra (46-20) but have, for the first time since 2002, suffered three straight losses to Brisbane (14-18), North Queensland (24-28) and Penrith (10-50).
No matter what the Storm’s form might be, they remain the Warriors’ most challenging opponents with Melbourne boasting 17 straight wins since 2015, the longest active head-to-head streak in the competition.
This is the third time in the last four seasons that the Warriors face the Storm only once in the regular, each of the one-off meetings being scheduled in Melbourne.