NRLW Team Update: Huriwai returns on interchange
Hooker Jay Huriwai makes her return for the One New Zealand Warriors’ NRLW Indigenous Round clash against the Newcastle Knights at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton today (7.15pm kick-off).
She missed last week’s Magic Round match against the Titans in Wagga Wagga after a head knock in the round four 14-12 win over the Parramatta Eels.
After following concussion protocols she was named on the extended bench on Tuesday but was moved onto the interchange at the 24-hour pre-match deadline yesterday.
Following last Sunday’s 16-18 Magic Round defeat by the Titans, head coach Ron Griffiths has switched rugby union sevens star Stacey Waaka to the centres with Tysha Ikenasio moving to the wing.
Waaka made her club debut on the wing against the Raiders, was shifted into the centres in the wins over the Cowboys (when she scored two tries) and Parramatta and was on the left wing again against Gold Coast scoring a spectacular try, her third in four games.
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Apii NichollsFullback for Knights is number 1 Lucy Spain
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Winger for Warriors is number 2 Tysha IkenasioWinger for Knights is number 2 Shanice Parker
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Centre for Warriors is number 3 Mele HufangaCentre for Knights is number 3 Sidney Taylor
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Stacey WaakaCentre for Knights is number 4 Tenika Willison
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Payton TakimoanaWinger for Knights is number 5 Mercedez Taulelei-Siala
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Emmanita PakiFive-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Kirra Dibb
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Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Gayle BroughtonHalfback for Knights is number 7 Georgia Roche
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 8 Maarire PuketapuProp for Knights is number 8 Simone Karpani
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Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Patricia MaliepoHooker for Knights is number 9 Olivia Higgins
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Metanoia FetalaigaProp for Knights is number 10 Tiana Davison
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Shakira Baker2nd Row for Knights is number 11 Fane Finau
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Christabelle Onesemo-Tuilaepa2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Jules Kirkpatrick
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Lock for Warriors is number 13 Kaiyah AtaiLock for Knights is number 13 Kayla Romaniuk
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Harata ButlerInterchange for Knights is number 14 Botille Vette-Welsh
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Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Ivana LauitiitiInterchange for Knights is number 15 Sienna Yeo
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Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Mya Hill-MoanaInterchange for Knights is number 16 Amelia Pasikala
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Interchange for Warriors is number 19 Jasmin HuriwaiInterchange for Knights is number 17 Grace Giampino
Reserves
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Replacement for Warriors is number 18 Ashlee MatapoReplacement for Knights is number 18 Cheyelle Robins-Reti
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Reserve for Warriors is number 14 Capri PaekauReserve for Knights is number 19 Stella Lewis
Warriors Ins
- Jasmin Huriwai
- Mya Hill-Moana
Knights Ins
- Fane Finau
- Stella Lewis
Warriors Outs
- Natalia Hickling
Knights Ins
- Tayla Predebon
Match Officials
- Referee: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
- Senior Review Official: Gerard Sutton
Last updated:
Her switch sees Ikenasio selected on the wing after being used in the centres in her eight outings last year and again in the opening five rounds this season.
The rest of the starting combination remains the same for a contest against a Newcastle side which picked up a convincing 32-12 victory over the Eels last Sunday to move to fourth on the ladder, one place ahead of the One New Zealand Warriors on points for and against.
With a 3-2 record after five rounds, the Warriors are desperate to make it two for two in Hamilton tonight after opening their season there with a 32-10 victory over the Bulldogs on July 5.
Another change was made to the interchange with Waikato local Mya Hill-Moana returning after missing the trip to Wagga Wagga.
In a dramatic comeback last week, the Warriors cut a 0-18 deficit to 16-18 with three tries in nine minutes against the Titans but couldn’t quite manage a follow-up strike in the last seven minutes to steal victory.
Making her club debut centre Mele Hufanga underlined her quality scoring a powerhouse try and finishing with 129 metres, 41 post-contact metres and six tackle breaks.
Loose forward Kaiyah Atai (142), prop Metanoia Fetalaiga (110) and fullback Apii Nicholls (106) also topped 100 metres with front rower Harata Butler (99) and second rower Shakira Baker (93) close to doing the same.
