NRL Team List: Origin players out, Adam Pompey back

NRL Team List: Origin players out, Pompey back

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Tue 26 May 2026, 04:00 PM

State of Origin representatives Mitchell Barnett and Kurt Capewell have been omitted while centre Adam Pompey is back for the One New Zealand Warriors’ top of the table round 13 NRL encounter with the Penrith Panthers at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Sunday (6.15pm kick-off local time; 8.15pm NZT).

Barnett is named to start in the front row for New South Wales and Capewell in the back row for Queensland in tomorrow night’s opening match of the 2026 Origin series at Accor Stadium in Sydne.

One New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster has opted to give them a break rather than consider the possibility of them backing up against the competition leaders.

It means the starting pack named is unchanged from the combination used in the 30-12 win over the St George Illawarra Dragons last Saturday.

Round 13 - Round 13 - Sunday 31 May

8:15 am

Panthers

Warriors

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Panthers is number 1 Dylan Edwards

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Taine Tuaupiki
Winger for Panthers is number 2 Thomas Jenkins

Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Centre for Panthers is number 3 Izack Tago

Centre for Warriors is number 3 Ali Leiataua
Centre for Panthers is number 4 Luke Garner

Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey
Winger for Panthers is number 5 Paul Alamoti

Winger for Warriors is number 5 Alofiana Khan-Pereira
Five-Eighth for Panthers is number 6 Blaize Talagi

Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita
Halfback for Panthers is number 7 Jack Cogger

Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Te Maire Martin

Forwards

Prop for Panthers is number 8 Moses Leota

Prop for Warriors is number 8 James Fisher-Harris
Hooker for Panthers is number 9 Freddy Lussick

Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
Prop for Panthers is number 10 Liam Henry

Prop for Warriors is number 10 Jackson Ford
2nd Row for Panthers is number 11 Isaiah Papali'i

2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Leka Halasima
2nd Row for Panthers is number 12 Liam Martin

2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Jacob Laban
Lock for Panthers is number 13 Lindsay Smith

Lock for Warriors is number 13 Erin Clark

Interchange

Interchange for Panthers is number 14 Jack Cole

Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Sam Healey
Interchange for Panthers is number 15 Scott Sorensen

Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Tanner Stowers-Smith
Interchange for Panthers is number 16 Billy Phillips

Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Demitric Vaimauga
Interchange for Panthers is number 17 Luron Patea

Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Marata Niukore
Interchange for Panthers is number 18 Billy Scott

Interchange for Warriors is number 18 Kayliss Fatialofa
Interchange for Panthers is number 19 Sione Fonua

Interchange for Warriors is number 20 Luke Hanson

Reserves

Reserve for Panthers is number 20 Kalani Going

Reserve for Warriors is number 21 Makaia Tafua
Reserve for Panthers is number 21 Casey McLean

Reserve for Warriors is number 22 Luke Metcalf
Reserve for Panthers is number 22 Isaah Yeo

Reserve for Warriors is number 23 Jason Salalilo
Reserve for Panthers is number 23 Nathan Cleary
Reserve for Panthers is number 24 Brian To'o

Jack Cole
Kalani Going
Liam Martin
Luron Patea
Sione Fonua

Adam Pompey
Jason Salalilo
Luke Metcalf
Makaia Tafua
Marata Niukore

Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

Match Officials

Referee: Gerard Sutton
Touch Judge: Matt Noyen
Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
Senior Review Official: Chris Butler

Last updated: 5/26/2026 7:30:50 AM

The seasoned Pompey returns to the centres to replace veteran Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who has had his campaign ended by an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury suffered in the 11th minute of the clash against the Dragons.

Pompey slots in on the left edge for his seventh NRL appearance of the year after an 80-minute shift for the club’s New South Wales Cup side last Sunday when he made 143 metres from 17 runs and kicked four goals from four attempts in a 24-20 victory.

As well as Tuivasa-Sheck, back rower Eddie Ieremia-Toeava is unavailable as he follows NRL concussion protocols. Named in his place is veteran Marata Niukore while the others listed on the six-man bench are hooker Sam Healey, props Tanner Stowers-Smith and Demitric Vaimauga, second rower Kayliss Fatialofa and standoff Luke Hanson. Selected on the extended bench in jersey #22 is halfback Luke Metcalf.

The One New Zealand Warriors and Penrith both take impressive form into their highly anticipated encounter with the Warriors winning their last six games and the Panthers their past five.

Besides Penrith being first on the ladder on 22 points and the Warriors outright second on 20, they have scored the most points – the Warriors 350 and Penrith 349 – and conceded the fewest (Penrith 146, the Warriors 194).

Wingers Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Alofi’ana Khan-Pereira have been in prolific try-scoring form.

With his double last week, Watene-Zelezniak has scored in each of his last seven appearances to equal the club record for scoring in consecutive games; he has 12 tries in those seven matches and 14 in 11 games so far this season to lift his club tally to 73 in 96 games, closing in on Stacey Jones (77) and Shaun Johnson (79) who are second and third behind Manu Vatuvei”s club record 152 tries.

Khan-Pereira has four doubles in his first six games for the Warriors with an exceptional career tally of 61 tries in 60 appearances.

The Warriors have beaten Penrith only once – at Magic Round in 2024 – in the last 11 games between the two sides.