Captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will lead the strongest available side in the Vodafone Warriors’ final NRL trial against Wests Tigers at the International Stadium in Rotorua on Sunday.
After fielding a host of emerging players in last Saturday’s 16-18 loss to Melbourne in Palmerston North, head coach Stephen Kearney has named a vastly experienced squad.
Maori Kiwis co-captain Adam Blair and standoff Kodi Nikorima both come into the side after helping their side to a famous 30-16 win over the Australian Indigenous team in Saturday night’s intense All-Stars contest.
Blair is selected to start in the second row while Nikorima lines up in the halves alongside veteran Blake Green.
Front rower Josh Curran and Jamayne Taunoa-Brown will back up from the bench after playing for the Australian Indigenous side in Robina.
In other features Kiwi second rower Tohu Harris Harris starts after recovering from a foot injury which has side-lined him since June last year, David Fusitua is again named in the centres – he was used in the role in Palmerston North – with Patrick Herbert on the right wing and new signing Wayde Egan starting at hooker.
As well as Tuivasa-Sheck, Blair, Harris, Nikorima and Green, other first-choice players having their first and only trial ahead of the 2020 campaign will be front rowers Agnatius Paasi and Leeson Ah Mau, Isaiah Papalii – named at loose forward – and Kiwi winger Ken Maumalo.
Included on a 12-man bench are halfback Chanel Harris-Tavita and middle forward Lachlan Burr – both used in Pamerston North – and centre Peta Hiku, who returns from offseason surgery. Also on the interchange is hooker Karl Lawton after returning from surgery last weekend.
WARRIORS
1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)
2 PATRICK HERBERT
3 HAYZE PERHAM
4 DAVID Fusitua
5 KEN MAUMALO
6 KODI NIKORIMA
7 BLAKE GREEN
8 LEESON AH MAU
9 WAYDE EGAN
10 AGNATIUS PAASI
11 ADAM BLAIR
12 Tohu Harris HARRIS
13 Isaiah Papalii
Interchange:
14 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA
15 JAMAYNE TAUNOA-BROWN
16 ADAM TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD
17 KARL LAWTON
18 PAUL TURNER
20 TAANE MILNE
21 JOSH CURRAN
24 PETA HIKU
25 LACHLAN BURR
26 ELIESA KATOA
27 EDWARD KOSI
28 LEIVAHA PULU
(Photo: David Fusitua. Credit: Lex Wright).
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After fielding a host of emerging players in last Saturday’s 16-18 loss to Melbourne in Palmerston North, head coach Stephen Kearney has named a vastly experienced squad.
Maori Kiwis co-captain Adam Blair and standoff Kodi Nikorima both come into the side after helping their side to a famous 30-16 win over the Australian Indigenous team in Saturday night’s intense All-Stars contest.
Blair is selected to start in the second row while Nikorima lines up in the halves alongside veteran Blake Green.
Front rower Josh Curran and Jamayne Taunoa-Brown will back up from the bench after playing for the Australian Indigenous side in Robina.
In other features Kiwi second rower Tohu Harris Harris starts after recovering from a foot injury which has side-lined him since June last year, David Fusitua is again named in the centres – he was used in the role in Palmerston North – with Patrick Herbert on the right wing and new signing Wayde Egan starting at hooker.
As well as Tuivasa-Sheck, Blair, Harris, Nikorima and Green, other first-choice players having their first and only trial ahead of the 2020 campaign will be front rowers Agnatius Paasi and Leeson Ah Mau, Isaiah Papalii – named at loose forward – and Kiwi winger Ken Maumalo.
Included on a 12-man bench are halfback Chanel Harris-Tavita and middle forward Lachlan Burr – both used in Pamerston North – and centre Peta Hiku, who returns from offseason surgery. Also on the interchange is hooker Karl Lawton after returning from surgery last weekend.
WARRIORS
1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)
2 PATRICK HERBERT
3 HAYZE PERHAM
4 DAVID Fusitua
5 KEN MAUMALO
6 KODI NIKORIMA
7 BLAKE GREEN
8 LEESON AH MAU
9 WAYDE EGAN
10 AGNATIUS PAASI
11 ADAM BLAIR
12 Tohu Harris HARRIS
13 Isaiah Papalii
Interchange:
14 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA
15 JAMAYNE TAUNOA-BROWN
16 ADAM TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD
17 KARL LAWTON
18 PAUL TURNER
20 TAANE MILNE
21 JOSH CURRAN
24 PETA HIKU
25 LACHLAN BURR
26 ELIESA KATOA
27 EDWARD KOSI
28 LEIVAHA PULU
(Photo: David Fusitua. Credit: Lex Wright).
Big guns named for Warriors final trial
Warriors name squad for first trial
Warriors dealt Afoa injury blow
Kiwis abroad – February 17
