NRL Team Update: Cleary, Hanson to start in halves
Jett Cleary will make his debut paired with Luke Hanson in the least experienced halves combination in One New Zealand Warriors history in tomorrow’s round 26 NRL encounter with Newcastle at a sold-out Go Media Stadium (4.00pm kick-off).
Cleary (21), who will become Warrior #301, and #295 Hanson (22) have been brought into the side for Te Maire Martin and Chanel Harris-Tavita.
It has been decided not to risk the established halves this week.
Martin was named on Tuesday to return from a hamstring complaint which kept him out of the last three matches against Penrith, Brisbane and South Sydney.
However, he has been omitted tomorrow as has Harris-Tavita who has a minor hamstring issue. Both will train fully next week to line up in the final regular season match against Manly Warringah on Saturday (September 5).
It has opened the way for regular New South Wales Cup halves partners Cleary and Hanson to take the reins against the Knights tomorrow.
Hanson started at #6 in his debut against Newcastle in round three this year and was called up for his second NRL outing against the Rabbitohs last week; Cleary was an unused reserve on the six-man bench against South Sydney.
It's the least experienced starting halves combination in the NRL since Brock Lamb (one game) and Jack Cogger (debut) lined up for the Knights against the Sharks in 2016. The previous most inexperienced pairing for the Warriors was Ata Hingano (11 games) and Mason Lino (six games) for the round 23 match against the Raiders in 2017.
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Taine TuaupikiFullback for Knights is number 1 Kalyn Ponga
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Winger for Warriors is number 2 Luke LauliliiWinger for Knights is number 2 Fletcher Hunt
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Centre for Warriors is number 3 Ali LeiatauaCentre for Knights is number 3 Dane Gagai
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Leka HalasimaCentre for Knights is number 4 Bradman Best
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Alofiana Khan-PereiraWinger for Knights is number 5 Greg Marzhew
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 22 Luke HansonFive-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Fletcher Sharpe
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Halfback for Warriors is number 23 Jett ClearyHalfback for Knights is number 7 Sandon Smith
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 8 James Fisher-HarrisProp for Knights is number 8 Jacob Saifiti
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Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde EganHooker for Knights is number 9 Harrison Graham
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell BarnettProp for Knights is number 10 Trey Mooney
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Kurt Capewell2nd Row for Knights is number 11 Jermaine McEwen
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Jacob Laban2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Francis Manuleleua
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Lock for Warriors is number 13 Erin ClarkLock for Knights is number 13 Mat Croker
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Sam HealeyInterchange for Knights is number 14 Thomas Cant
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Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Tanner Stowers-SmithInterchange for Knights is number 15 Cody Hopwood
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Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Demitric VaimaugaInterchange for Knights is number 16 Lachlan Crouch
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Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Eddie Ieremia-ToeavaInterchange for Knights is number 17 Pasami Saulo
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Interchange for Warriors is number 18 Adam PompeyInterchange for Knights is number 18 Toby Winter
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Interchange for Warriors is number 20 Morgan GannonInterchange for Knights is number 19 Diesel Hagan
Reserves
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Reserve for Warriors is number 21 Makaia TafuaReserve for Knights is number 20 Kyle McCarthy
Warriors Ins
- Luke Laulilii
- Makaia Tafua
- Morgan Gannon
Knights Ins
- Dane Gagai
- Diesel Hagan
- Francis Manuleleua
- Kyle McCarthy
- Pasami Saulo
Warriors Outs
- Chanel Harris-Tavita
- Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Knights Ins
- Dominic Young
- Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana
- Phoenix Crossland
- Tyson Frizell
Match Officials
- Referee: Adam Gee
- Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
- Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Last updated:
The former Penrith juniors teamed up at halfback and standoff six times in Cleary’s rookie New South Wales Cup campaign last year and have been in tandem 10 times this season.
Making his club debut as Warrior #300 tomorrow is winger Luke Laulilii, called up to replace the injured Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (broken clavicle) on the right wing.
Signed from Wests Tigers in June for the rest of the season, the Perth Bears-bound 20-year-old scored 10 tries in 17 NRL appearances for his former club.
In six New South Wales Cup outings since joining the Warriors. he has averaged 180 metres a game, scored two tries and made 22 tackle breaks.
His right edge centre partner will be Ali Leiataua, who is back after missing the South Sydney encounter through illness.
The Warriors will field the same starting forward pack for the seventh match on end with a front row of James Fisher-Harris, Wayde Egan and Mitchell Barnett, Kurt Capewell and Jacob Laban in the second round and Erin Clark at loose forward. Egan and Clark will continue their run of playing every game of the season, this being their 23rd on end.
Interchange front rower Demitric Vaimauga is the first of the Warriors’ young guns to reach the 50-game milestone tomorrow – all from the bench – with centre Leka Halasima playing his 49th game; Clark also has his 49th out for the Warriors this week.
