Two late changes have been made for the One New Zealand Warriors’ round 25 NRL clash against South Sydney at Accor Stadium in Sydney today (5.30pm kick-off local time; 7.30pm NZT).
Brought up off the bench to start in the centres is NRL veteran Adam Pompey with Ali Leiataua moving to the interchange.
Pompey will be starting for the first time since round 21 after being an unused reserve in the last three matches.
Rookie halfback Jett Cleary comes onto the six-man bench joining Leiataua, Sam Healey, Tanner Stowers-Smith, Demitric Vaimauga and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava.
He was moved into the mix for utility forward Morgan Gannon, who was omitted to line up for the New South Wales Cup side’s match against the Rabbitohs today.
If Cleary should be called on he will be making his NRL debut as Warrior #300.
Match: Rabbitohs v Warriors
Round 25 -
home Team
Rabbitohs
away Team
Warriors
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Rabbitohs is number 1 Matthew DuftyFullback for Warriors is number 1 Taine Tuaupiki
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Winger for Rabbitohs is number 2 Alex JohnstonWinger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
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Centre for Rabbitohs is number 3 Tallis DuncanCentre for Warriors is number 4 Leka Halasima
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Centre for Rabbitohs is number 4 Jack WightonCentre for Warriors is number 18 Adam Pompey
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Winger for Rabbitohs is number 5 Campbell GrahamWinger for Warriors is number 5 Alofiana Khan-Pereira
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Five-Eighth for Rabbitohs is number 6 Cody WalkerFive-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke Hanson
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Halfback for Rabbitohs is number 7 Jayden SullivanHalfback for Warriors is number 7 Chanel Harris-Tavita
Forwards
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Prop for Rabbitohs is number 8 Tevita TatolaProp for Warriors is number 8 James Fisher-Harris
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Hooker for Rabbitohs is number 9 Brandon SmithHooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
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Prop for Rabbitohs is number 10 Keaon KoloamatangiProp for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett
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2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 11 David Fifita2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Kurt Capewell
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2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 12 Euan Aitken2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Jacob Laban
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Lock for Rabbitohs is number 13 Cameron MurrayLock for Warriors is number 13 Erin Clark
Interchange
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Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 15 Lachlan HubnerInterchange for Warriors is number 14 Sam Healey
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Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 16 Sean KeppieInterchange for Warriors is number 15 Tanner Stowers-Smith
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Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 18 Peter MamouzelosInterchange for Warriors is number 16 Demitric Vaimauga
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Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
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Reserve for Rabbitohs is number 14 Jye GrayReserve for Warriors is number 3 Ali Leiataua
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Reserve for Rabbitohs is number 17 Liam Le BlancReserve for Warriors is number 21 Jett Cleary
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Reserve for Rabbitohs is number 19 Edward Kosi
Match Officials
- Referee: Todd Smith
- Touch Judge: Drew Oultram
- Touch Judge: Kasey Badger
- Senior Review Official: Grant Atkins
Last updated:
The match sees Chanel Harris-Tavita – fresh from another contract extension – starting at halfback for the first time since 2021 with Luke Hanson at standoff.
Harris-Tavita will wear the #7 jersey after taking over the halfback’s role following Luke Metcalf’s departure with a hamstring injury 20 minutes into last Saturday night’s match against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
Metcalf has been sidelined until the finals ruling him out of the remaining three regular season games against the Rabbitohs, Knights and Sea Eagles.
Harris-Tavita becomes the Warriors’ fourth starting halfback this year following on from Tanah Boyd (10 games), Te Maire Martin (9) and Metcalf (2), all on the injured list.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who deputised in the halves in the 42-6 win over the Broncos, couldn’t be considered for the #6 jersey this week due to the two-match suspension he has landed for a dangerous contact charge.
That has paved the way for 22-year-old Hanson to line up in the halves for his second NRL appearance after making his debut as Warrior #295 in the 38-12 round three win over the Knights on March 21.
Outside his sole previous first-grade outing, Hanson has made 15 appearances for the club’s New South Wales Cup side this season bringing up his 50-game milestone with a try in last Saturday’s 18-12 win over the Sea Eagles.
Averaging 80 running metres a game this season, he’s a strong defensive player with a tackling efficiency rate of 96.35 per cent including only seven missed tackles.
With Nicoll-Klokstad suspended, Taine Tuaupiki returns as the starting fullback while the rest of the lineup is unchanged from the one used against the Broncos including loose forward Erin Clark and hooker Wayde Egan who have played every game this year.
The Warriors go into round 25 level on 36 points two behind Penrith and the Roosters.
They face a South Sydney side sitting seventh on the ladder after beating the Bulldogs 22-6 last week.
