NRL Confirmed Lineup: No further changes made by Warriors

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Sat 25 Apr 2026, 04:35 PM

No late changes have been made to the One New Zealand Warriors’ lineup for their Anzac Round encounter with the Dolphins at a sold-out Hnry Stadium in Wellington tonight (8.05pm kick-off).

Of the 20 confirmed at the 24-hour pre-game deadline yesterday, hooker Makaia Tafua dropped off to play for the club’s New South Wales Cup side against North Sydney in Hamilton today.

That leaves a six-man bench of hooker Sam Healey, middle forwards Mitchell Barnett and Demitric Vaimauga, second rower Jacob Laban, half Luke Hanson and second rower Eddie Ieremia-Toeava.

It’s a special night for Chanel Harris-Tavita who makes 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.

Round 8 - Round 8 - Saturday 25 Apr

Full Time

Warriors

Dolphins

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Taine Tuaupiki

Fullback for Dolphins is number 1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

Winger for Dolphins is number 2 Jamayne Isaako
Centre for Warriors is number 3 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

Centre for Dolphins is number 3 Jake Averillo
Centre for Warriors is number 4 Ali Leiataua

Centre for Dolphins is number 4 Herbie Farnworth
Winger for Warriors is number 5 Alofiana Khan-Pereira

Winger for Dolphins is number 5 Selwyn Cobbo
Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita

Five-Eighth for Dolphins is number 17 Trai Fuller
Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Tanah Boyd

Halfback for Dolphins is number 7 Isaiya Katoa

Forwards

Prop for Warriors is number 8 James Fisher-Harris

Prop for Dolphins is number 10 Francis Molo
Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan

Hooker for Dolphins is number 9 Max Plath
Prop for Warriors is number 10 Jackson Ford

Prop for Dolphins is number 15 Thomas Flegler
2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Leka Halasima

2nd Row for Dolphins is number 11 Connelly Lemuelu
2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Kurt Capewell

2nd Row for Dolphins is number 12 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki
Lock for Warriors is number 13 Erin Clark

Lock for Dolphins is number 8 Tom Gilbert

Interchange

Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Sam Healey

Interchange for Dolphins is number 14 Ray Stone
Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Mitchell Barnett

Interchange for Dolphins is number 16 Felise Kaufusi
Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Demitric Vaimauga

Interchange for Dolphins is number 18 Lewis Symonds
Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Jacob Laban

Interchange for Dolphins is number 19 Tevita Naufahu

Reserves

Reserve for Warriors is number 20 Luke Hanson

Reserve for Dolphins is number 20 Brian Pouniu
Reserve for Warriors is number 21 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava

Reserve for Dolphins is number 22 John Fineanganofo

Match Officials

Referee: Liam Kennedy
Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein

Last updated: 4/25/2026 1:02:23 PM

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.

Playing his junior football for Mount Wellington Warriors, Howick Hornets and Pakuranga Jaguars, he came through the Warriors’ pathways system to make his NYC under-20 debut the day he became eligible on his 17th birthday on April 3, 2016. Since then he has 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.

It’s also a big night for the 22-year-old Laban who plays in front of family and friends in his hometown for the first time. A Te Aroha Eels and Randwick Kingfishers junior, the Lower Hutt-born St Bernard’s College product plays his 27th NRL match tonight.

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 at the end of 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.

This is the 12th NRL match the Warriors have played in Wellington, and the sixth time they taken a home game to the Capital. They won four of their last five contests at the venue.