Centre Adam Pompey and second rower Marata Niukore have been omitted from the One New Zealand Warriors’ game day squad for tomorrow’s Anzac Round match against the Dolphins at Hnry Stadium in Wellington (8.05pm kick-off).
Remaining on the extended bench are Sam Healey, Mitchell Barnett, Demitric Vaimauga, Jacob Laban, Luke Hanson, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava and Makaia Tafua.
The clash is notable for Chanel Harris-Tavita making his 100th NRL appearance in a side showing one change from the one used in last Saturday’s 28-20 win over Gold Coast.
In an injury-forced switch, Taine Tuaupiki returns to the side for Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad who has been ruled out this week with a neck injury.
The 27-year-old Harris-Tavita (Warriors #233), who made his debut in 2019, completes a journey to 100 games which was interrupted when he took time away from the game in 2023.
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Taine TuaupikiFullback for Dolphins is number 1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
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Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-ZelezniakWinger for Dolphins is number 2 Jamayne Isaako
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Centre for Warriors is number 3 Roger Tuivasa-SheckCentre for Dolphins is number 3 Jake Averillo
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Ali LeiatauaCentre for Dolphins is number 4 Herbie Farnworth
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Alofiana Khan-PereiraWinger for Dolphins is number 5 Selwyn Cobbo
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Chanel Harris-TavitaFive-Eighth for Dolphins is number 6 Bradley Schneider
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Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Tanah BoydHalfback for Dolphins is number 7 Isaiya Katoa
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 8 James Fisher-HarrisProp for Dolphins is number 8 Tom Gilbert
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Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde EganHooker for Dolphins is number 9 Max Plath
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Jackson FordProp for Dolphins is number 10 Francis Molo
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Leka Halasima2nd Row for Dolphins is number 11 Connelly Lemuelu
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Kurt Capewell2nd Row for Dolphins is number 12 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki
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Lock for Warriors is number 13 Erin ClarkLock for Dolphins is number 15 Thomas Flegler
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Sam HealeyInterchange for Dolphins is number 14 Ray Stone
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Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Mitchell BarnettInterchange for Dolphins is number 16 Felise Kaufusi
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Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Demitric VaimaugaInterchange for Dolphins is number 17 Trai Fuller
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Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Jacob LabanInterchange for Dolphins is number 18 Lewis Symonds
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Interchange for Warriors is number 20 Luke HansonInterchange for Dolphins is number 19 Tevita Naufahu
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Interchange for Warriors is number 21 Eddie Ieremia-ToeavaInterchange for Dolphins is number 20 Brian Pouniu
Reserves
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Reserve for Warriors is number 23 Makaia TafuaReserve for Dolphins is number 22 John Fineanganofo
Warriors Ins
- Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
- Luke Hanson
- Makaia Tafua
Dolphins Ins
- Brian Pouniu
- John Fineanganofo
- Lewis Symonds
- Tevita Naufahu
Warriors Outs
- Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
- Marata Niukore
Dolphins Ins
- Kodi Nikorima
- Morgan Knowles
- Oryn Keeley
Match Officials
- Referee: Liam Kennedy
- Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein
Last updated:
A product of the club’s pathways system, he made his NYC under-20 debut the day he became eligible on his 17th birthday on April 3, 2016 and has since gone on to fashion an NRL career which has featured starts at halfback and standoff as well as fullback while he has also been an interchange utility.
He becomes the 32nd player to appear in 100 games for the One New Zealand Warriors; of the current squad only Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (#203), Erin Clark (#216) and Nicoll-Klokstad (#218) made their debuts for the Warriors before him.
Harris-Tavita will achieve his major milestone on an auspicious occasion as the Warriors take their Anzac Round match to Wellington for the first time after facing Newcastle in the corresponding match in Christchurch last year and Gold Coast in Auckland in 2024.
Other than Tuaupiki at fullback the rest of the starting lineup is the same as that used in the Warriors’ fifth win in seven starts last week, a result which moved them back up to second on the ladder after the seventh round.
It was a performance which featured outstanding contributions from the forwards led by Dally M leader Jackson Ford who made 239 metres from 23 runs plus a game-high 49 tackles while Mitchell Barnett ran for 165 metres, James Fisher-Harris 131, Erin Clark 119 and Leka Halasima 104.
After three games played at Eden Park in 2011, 2012 and 2013, the 34,500 sell-out at Hnry Stadium on Saturday will be the fourth biggest crowd for a Warriors game played in New Zealand. It will top the previous best in the Capital of 30,112 for the home match against Canterbury Bankstown in 2013.
The Anzac Round match-up is the seventh between the Warriors and the Dolphins with the ledger reading 3-3 in the first six contests.
The last four encounters have been decided by four points or less, the Dolphins winning 20-18 at Go Media Stadium last year, the Warriors 16-12 at Suncorp while in 2024 the Dolphins prevailed 34-32 at Suncorp and the Warriors 24-20 in Auckland.
