NRL Team Update: Hanson and Tafua two players to drop off
NRL rookies Luke Hanson and Makaia Tafua are the two players omitted from the One New Zealand Warriors’ 22-man squad 24 hours out from their round 24 encounter with the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night (7.35pm kick-off local time; 9.35pm NZT).
Playmaker Hanson and hooker Tafua have been released to line up for the club’s New South Wales Cup side against the Sea Eagles in Sydney.
Remaining in the reduced 20-man squad is second rower Morgan Gannon, who made his second NRL appearance in last Friday night's 28-12 victory over Penrith.
Back from an injury is front rower Demitric Vaimauga, who joins fellow local young guns Tanner Stowers-Smith and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava plus hooker Sam Healey, fullback Taine Tuaupiki and centre Adam Pompey on the six-man bench.
The starting lineup used against the Panthers remains unchanged.
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Broncos is number 1 Reece WalshFullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
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Winger for Broncos is number 2 Josiah KarapaniWinger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
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Centre for Broncos is number 3 Kotoni StaggsCentre for Warriors is number 3 Ali Leiataua
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Centre for Broncos is number 4 Deine MarinerCentre for Warriors is number 4 Leka Halasima
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Winger for Broncos is number 5 Grant AndersonWinger for Warriors is number 5 Alofiana Khan-Pereira
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Five-Eighth for Broncos is number 6 Ezra MamFive-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita
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Halfback for Broncos is number 7 Thomas DuffyHalfback for Warriors is number 7 Luke Metcalf
Forwards
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Prop for Broncos is number 8 Xavier WillisonProp for Warriors is number 8 James Fisher-Harris
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Hooker for Broncos is number 9 Billy WaltersHooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
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Prop for Broncos is number 10 Payne HaasProp for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett
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2nd Row for Broncos is number 11 Jaiyden Hunt2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Kurt Capewell
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2nd Row for Broncos is number 12 Jordan Riki2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Jacob Laban
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Lock for Broncos is number 13 Patrick CarriganLock for Warriors is number 13 Erin Clark
Interchange
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Interchange for Broncos is number 14 Ben HuntInterchange for Warriors is number 14 Sam Healey
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Interchange for Broncos is number 15 Aublix TawhaInterchange for Warriors is number 15 Tanner Stowers-Smith
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Interchange for Broncos is number 16 Jack GosiewskiInterchange for Warriors is number 16 Demitric Vaimauga
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Interchange for Broncos is number 17 Va'a SemuInterchange for Warriors is number 17 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
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Interchange for Broncos is number 18 Blake MozerInterchange for Warriors is number 18 Taine Tuaupiki
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Interchange for Broncos is number 20 Gehamat ShibasakiInterchange for Warriors is number 20 Adam Pompey
Broncos Ins
- Aublix Tawha
Warriors Ins
- Demitric Vaimauga
Broncos Outs
- Ben Talty
Warriors Ins
- Morgan Gannon
Match Officials
- Referee: Wyatt Raymond
- Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Last updated:
That includes halfback Luke Metcalf who produced an outstanding display coming in as a late replacement after incumbent Te Maire Martin was ruled out with a hamstring injury; he’s expected to miss the next two games against Brisbane and South Sydney.
In his first start at halfback in 405 days, Metcalf scored two tries and kicked four goals from five attempts as well as producing a line break, a line break assist, a try assist, four tackle breaks and making 519 metres from 18 kicks.
The Warriors savoured only their second victory over Penrith since 2019 and their first at Go Media Stadium since 2018.
With the Sydney Roosters beating the Panthers on Thursday night, they’re now alone at the top of the table on 38 points with Penrith on 36 and the Warriors on 34 with four games to come in the regular season against the Broncos and Rabbitohs both away followed by back-to-back home games against the Knights and Sea Eagles.
The Warriors face a 2025 premiership-winning Broncos side which has slumped to 16th on the ladder losing eight of their nine games since the Warriors’ 42-12 win over Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium.
Loose forward Erin Clark and hooker Wayde Egan extend their run of being the only players to appear in each of the Warriors’ games this season when they turn out for the 21st time.
