NRL Team Update: Warriors' squad reduced for top of table clash

NRL Team Update: Two players omitted from squad

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Fri 26 Jun 2026, 04:12 PM

Centre Jye Linnane and middle forward Jason Salalilo have been omitted from the One New Zealand Warriors’ 20-man game day squad for tomorrow’s second versus third round 17 NRL encounter with the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane (3.00pm kick-off local time; 5.00pm NZT).

They’re now set to line up for the club’s New South Wales Cup side in its match against the Canberra Raiders at GIO Stadium on Sunday.

Rookie hooker Makaia Tafua, who played his second first-grade match in his hometown of Christchurch last week, is retained as 20th man while the originally named six-man bench remains unchanged comprising hookers Sam Healey, props Eddie Ieremia-Toeava and Demitric Vaimauga, second rowers Marata Niukore and Kayliss Fatialofa and halfback Luke Metcalf.

The Warriors have lost in-form prop Jackson Ford for 10-12 weeks following surgery on the pectoral he ruptured 20 minutes into Sunday’s 38-20 win over the North Queensland Cowboys last Sunday.

The interruption to Ford’s superb 2026 season sees Tanner Stowers-Smith coming into the starting front row alongside captain Mitchell Barnett.

Round 17 - Round 17 - Saturday 27 Jun

5:00 am

Dolphins

Warriors

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Dolphins is number 1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Taine Tuaupiki
Winger for Dolphins is number 2 Jamayne Isaako

Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Centre for Dolphins is number 3 Jack Bostock

Centre for Warriors is number 3 Ali Leiataua
Centre for Dolphins is number 4 Herbie Farnworth

Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey
Winger for Dolphins is number 5 Selwyn Cobbo

Winger for Warriors is number 5 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
Five-Eighth for Dolphins is number 6 Kodi Nikorima

Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita
Halfback for Dolphins is number 7 Isaiya Katoa

Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Te Maire Martin

Forwards

Prop for Dolphins is number 8 Thomas Flegler

Prop for Warriors is number 8 Tanner Stowers-Smith
Hooker for Dolphins is number 9 Jeremy Marshall-King

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

Prop for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett
2nd Row for Dolphins is number 11 Connelly Lemuelu

2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jacob Laban
2nd Row for Dolphins is number 12 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki

2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Kurt Capewell
Lock for Dolphins is number 13 Morgan Knowles

Lock for Warriors is number 13 Erin Clark

Interchange

Interchange for Dolphins is number 14 Max Plath

Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Sam Healey
Interchange for Dolphins is number 15 Kurt Donoghoe

Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
Interchange for Dolphins is number 16 Ray Stone

Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Demitric Vaimauga
Interchange for Dolphins is number 17 Felise Kaufusi

Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Marata Niukore
Interchange for Dolphins is number 18 Bradley Schneider

Interchange for Warriors is number 18 Kayliss Fatialofa
Interchange for Dolphins is number 20 Tevita Naufahu

Interchange for Warriors is number 20 Luke Metcalf

Reserves

Reserve for Dolphins is number 21 Brian Pouniu

Reserve for Warriors is number 21 Makaia Tafua

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Isaiya Katoa
Max Plath
Selwyn Cobbo
Thomas Flegler

Kurt Capewell
Sam Healey

John Fineanganofo
Oryn Keeley
Tom Gilbert
Trai Fuller

Jackson Ford

Match Officials

Referee: Adam Gee
Touch Judge: Dave Munro
Touch Judge: Jon Stone
Senior Review Official: Chris Butler

Last updated: 6/26/2026 4:58:07 AM

While co-captain James Fisher-Harris (calf), second rower Leka Halasima (hamstring) and winger Alofi’ana Khan-Pereira (leg) are still unavailable, Queensland second rower Kurt Capewell returns after missing the North Queensland clash as does Healey, who was a late scratching last weekend.

Prolific try scorer Dallin Watene-Zelezniak becomes the 33rd player to join the club’s 100-game roll of honour tomorrow.

Linking up with the Warriors midway through the Covid era in 2022, the 30-year-old Watene-Zelezniak has set exceptional try-scoring standards for the club, his try in the win over the Cowboys taking him to 15 in 14 games this season.

Scoring a club record 25 tries in 2023, he now has 74 tries in his 99 appearances for the Warriors so far, a strike rate of 0.74 tries a game which puts him ahead of record holder Manu Vatuvei’s 0.67 tries a match (152 in 226 appearances).

Watene-Zelezniak is one of only three players in line to maintain a sequence of playing in every match so far this campaign alongside hooker Wayde Egan and loose forward Erin Clark (Ford’s unbroken run of 14 appearances has been halted)..

The Warriors have named an unchanged backline to face the Dolphins while Capewell and Stowers-Smith come into an amended starting pack.

When the two teams met in Wellington on Anzac Day the Warriors held on for a 20-18 win but since then the Dolphins have been in the hottest form in the competition putting together seven wins on end over the Storm, Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Raiders, Cowboys, Roosters and Wests Tigers.