NRLW Team Update: As selected side set for Knights
No changes have been made to the playing squad 24 hours out from the One New Zealand Warriors’ round nine NRLW match against St George Illawarra at Go Media Stadium tomorrow (1.45pm kick-off).
The updated squad is as selected 1-17 with prop Metanoia Fetalaiga named as 18th player and halfback Natalia Hickling as 19th.
The three players omitted from the 22 listed on Tuesday are captain Apii Nicholls, front rower Mya Hill-Moana and winger Payton Takimoana.
Matekino Gray eyes her first outing of the season and Anastasia Sekenei her debut in a much-changed lineup to face the Dragons.
The match is the second leg of a home tripleheader starting with the club’s final New South Wales Cup regular season game against the Knights (11.20am kick-off) and rounded out by the feature NRL encounter between the ladder-leading One New Zealand Warriors and sixth-placed Newcastle (4.00pm kick-off).
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Anastasia SekeneFullback for Dragons is number 1 Teagan Berry
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Winger for Warriors is number 2 Lavinia TauhalalikuWinger for Dragons is number 2 Maria Paseka
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Centre for Warriors is number 3 Mele HufangaCentre for Dragons is number 3 Tyra Ekepati
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Stacey WaakaCentre for Dragons is number 4 Tahlia O'Brien
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Tysha IkenasioWinger for Dragons is number 5 Jayme Millard
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Gayle BroughtonFive-Eighth for Dragons is number 6 Zali Hopkins
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Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Patricia MaliepoHalfback for Dragons is number 7 Kasey Reh
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 8 Annetta NuuausalaProp for Dragons is number 8 Amelia Huakau
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Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Jasmin HuriwaiHooker for Dragons is number 9 Brooke Anderson
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Matekino GrayProp for Dragons is number 10 Ruby-Jean Kennard-Ellis
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Kaiyah Atai2nd Row for Dragons is number 11 Montana Clifford
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Shakira Baker2nd Row for Dragons is number 12 Ella Koster
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Lock for Warriors is number 13 Maarire PuketapuLock for Dragons is number 13 Hannah Southwell
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Capri PaekauInterchange for Dragons is number 14 Tori Shipton
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Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Harata ButlerInterchange for Dragons is number 15 Seriah Palepale
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Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Ivana LauitiitiInterchange for Dragons is number 16 Trinity Tauaneai
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Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Ashlee MatapoInterchange for Dragons is number 17 Ahlivia Ingram
Reserves
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Replacement for Warriors is number 21 Metanoia FetalaigaReplacement for Dragons is number 18 Sara Sautia
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Reserve for Warriors is number 20 Natalia HicklingReserve for Dragons is number 19 Keele Browne
Warriors Ins
- Anastasia Sekene
- Ashlee Matapo
- Lavinia Tauhalaliku
- Matekino Gray
Dragons Ins
- Keele Browne
- Sara Sautia
- Seriah Palepale
Warriors Outs
- Emmanita Paki
- Mya Hill-Moana
- Payton Takimoana
Dragons Ins
- Nita Maynard-Perrin
- Shenae Ciesiolka
Match Officials
- Senior Review Official: Todd Smith
Last updated:
Front rower Gray comes straight back into the starting lineup after being sidelined with a foot injury suffered in the Warriors’ preseason trial against the Broncos in Christchurch in June.
After missing the first six rounds of the NRLW campaign, she produced two strong displays to help feeder club South Sydney to two big wins in the NSW women’s premiership over the last two weeks.
Sekene, who picked up an ankle injury in the Christchurch trial, lined up in the centres and scored a try in the Rabbitohs’ win over the Dragons last Saturday.
The 28-year-old, set to become NRLW Warrior #84, has been named at fullback replacing Emmanita Paki – sidelined with an ankle injury – who in turn took over from captain Apii Nicholls who was ruled out of last Sunday’s match against the Roosters with a hand injury.
Sekene’s arrival on the NRLW stage is a special story.
After spending almost 10 years out of sport to raise her family, the mother of four had never played rugby league until last year before being signed by the Warriors on a one-year supplementary contract.
Avondale College product Sekene was a high-level sporting achiever in netball, football, touch, tag, basketball and rugby union before stepping aside to raise her family in 2015.
With two daughters aged seven and six and two sons aged four and three, she returned to the sporting arena last year when she started playing rugby league for the first time with the Mount Albert Lionesses in the Auckland club competition before representing the Akarana Falcons in the NZRL national women’s premiership.
As well as bringing in Gray and Sekene, other changes have been made to the side used in the devastating 8-66 loss to the unbeaten Sydney Roosters.
Lavinia Tauhalaliku, who scored six tries in her first two appearances of the season, returns on the wing, captain Kaiyah Atai switches to the second row and Maarire Puketapu slots in at loose forward while prop Ashlee Matapo is recalled on the bench.
Despite their heavy defeat by the Roosters, the One New Zealand Warriors remain sixth on the ladder on eight points, two behind fourth and fifth placed Canberra and Brisbane.
The Dragons sit 12th on the table with only one win. When the two sides met in Sydney last year, St George Illawarra prevailed 26-18.
