NRLW Team List: Four frontline players back on deck
Four of the One New Zealand Warriors’ first-choice players are all in the frame to return from the injury list in Sunday’s round four NRLW encounter with the Parramatta Eels at Eric Tweedale Stadium in Sydney (12.00pm kick-off local time; 2.00pm NZT).
Standoff Gayle Broughton, player of the match in the season-opening win over the Bulldogs, has been named on the extended bench after missing the last two games with a quad injury she picked up in training ahead of the round two encounter with the Canberra Raiders.
Also included in jersey #19 is another of the club’s major signings centre Mele Hufanga, who suffered a hamstring injury in the preseason and is yet to make her club debut.
Confirmed to make their comebacks are winger Payton Takimoana and back rower Kaiyah Atai.
The 22-year-old Takimoana, who scored 15 tries in 11 games in her rookie season, returns after being forced to leave the field with a shoulder injury in the Warriors’ season-opening win over the Bulldogs.
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Eels is number 1 Abbi ChurchFullback for Warriors is number 1 Apii Nicholls
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Winger for Eels is number 2 Zali FayWinger for Warriors is number 2 Payton Takimoana
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Centre for Eels is number 3 Rory OwenCentre for Warriors is number 3 Tysha Ikenasio
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Centre for Eels is number 4 Lindsay TuiCentre for Warriors is number 4 Stacey Waaka
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Winger for Eels is number 5 Martha MataeleWinger for Warriors is number 5 Ocean Tierney
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Five-Eighth for Eels is number 6 Rosemarie BeckettFive-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Emmanita Paki
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Halfback for Eels is number 7 Rachael PearsonHalfback for Warriors is number 7 Patricia Maliepo
Forwards
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Prop for Eels is number 8 Elsie AlbertProp for Warriors is number 8 Mya Hill-Moana
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Hooker for Eels is number 9 Taneka TodhunterHooker for Warriors is number 9 Jasmin Huriwai
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Prop for Eels is number 10 Ryvrr-Lee AloProp for Warriors is number 10 Metanoia Fetalaiga
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2nd Row for Eels is number 11 Fontayne Tufuga2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Christabelle Onesemo
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2nd Row for Eels is number 12 Mahalia Murphy2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Shakira Baker
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Lock for Eels is number 13 Keilee JosephLock for Warriors is number 13 Kaiyah Atai
Interchange
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Interchange for Eels is number 14 Rueben CherringtonInterchange for Warriors is number 14 Capri Paekau
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Interchange for Eels is number 15 Tess McWilliamsInterchange for Warriors is number 15 Harata Butler
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Interchange for Eels is number 16 Boss KapuaInterchange for Warriors is number 16 Ivana Lauitiiti
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Interchange for Eels is number 17 Khyliah GrayInterchange for Warriors is number 17 Annetta Nuuausala
Reserves
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Replacement for Eels is number 18 Jasmin MorrisseyReplacement for Warriors is number 18 Ashlee Matapo
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Reserve for Eels is number 19 Jayde HerdegenReserve for Warriors is number 19 Mele Hufanga
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Reserve for Eels is number 20 Kiana TakairangiReserve for Warriors is number 20 Gayle Broughton
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Reserve for Eels is number 21 Kate FallonReserve for Warriors is number 21 Natalia Hickling
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Reserve for Warriors is number 22 Maarire Puketapu
Eels Ins
- Boss Kapua
- Jayde Herdegen
- Kate Fallon
- Keilee Joseph
- Kiana Takairangi
Warriors Ins
- Gayle Broughton
- Kaiyah Atai
- Mele Hufanga
- Natalia Hickling
- Payton Takimoana
Eels Outs
- Cassey Tohi-Hiku
- Rysh'e Fa'amausili
Warriors Ins
- Lavinia Tauhalaliku
Match Officials
- Senior Review Official: Adam Gee
Last updated:
Atai, the 2025 players’ player of the year, has been selected at loose forward for her first match of the season after recovering from surgery following a broken thumb suffered in the Warriors’ preseason trial against the Broncos in Christchurch.
Apart from Takimoana replacing Lavinia Tauhalaliku, who’s unavailable this week, the rest of the backline named is unchanged from the combination used in the club record-equalling 42-4 victory over North Queensland last Saturday.
There's another changes to the starting pack selected with prop Annetta Nuuausala named on the interchange and Mya Hill-Moana replacing her after starting at loose forward last week.
Joining Nuuausala on the interchange are hooker Capri Paekau and middle forwards Harata Butler and Ivana Lauitiiti with Matapo the 18th player.
With the injury toll easing, the One New Zealand Warriors have been able to name a full list of 22 players for the first time this season.
The match against the Eels is the first of back-to-back road trips followed by their Magic Round game against the Titans in Wagga Wagga on August 2.
The Warriors are sixth on the ladder heading into the fourth round, one of five teams on four points two behind the unbeaten Roosters and Broncos.
The Eels are coming off a 12-50 loss to the Titans following defeats in the first two rounds by the Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra.
