Covid, illness and injury have impacted on the Vodafone Warriors’ selection plans for their 18th-round encounter with the Parramatta Eels at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Friday (7.55pm kick-off local time; 9.55pm NZT).
Experienced winger
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Covid), rookie half
Ronald Volkman (virus) and back rower
Bayley Sironen (fractured eye socket) have all been ruled out after helping the Vodafone Warriors to their 22-2 homecoming win over the Wests Tigers at Mount Smart Stadium on July 3.
Interim head coach Stacey Jones has also been isolating after a positive Covid test; it’s yet to be determined whether he will be able to join the team in Sydney.
Watene-Zelezniak’s absence sees 2021 rookie winger
Edward Kosi back in the NRL side for the first time since the Anzac Day loss to Melbourne.
The 23-year-old has been performing impressively for feeder club Redcliffe in the Hostplus Cup in Queensland helping the side to a seven-match unbeaten run;
Kosi has scored seven tries in his last five matches and is averaging almost 160 metres a game so far this season.
Volkman, unable to train this week as he battles a virus, has been replaced at standoff by
Chanel Harris-Tavita.
And
Sironen, injured against the Tigers, is replaced on the interchange by
Jack Murchie, who was a late scratching from the Mount Smart match with a leg injury.
Back at fullback is
Reece Walsh after missing the homecoming win following a positive Covid test.
There’s a shuffle in the starting forward pack with captain
Tohu Harris relinquishing the #12 jersey to be listed as a starting prop in #10 alongside
Addin Fonua-Blake.
Jazz Tevaga, who has been selected in #10 the past five matches, reverts to his favoured role at loose forward in #13.
Match: Eels v Warriors
ROUND 18 - FRIDAY 15TH JULY
9:55pm
Match Officials
- Referee: Todd Smith
- Touch Judge: Kasey Badger
- Touch Judge: Darian Furner
- Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Friday night’s match will serve as a milestone celebration for three players.
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Harris-Tavita and
Adam Pompey will make their 50th first-grade appearances after they each debuted in 2019.
And second rower
Aitken (27) joins the competition’s 150-game club in his 29th outing as a Vodafone Warrior after playing 121 times for the St George Illawarra Dragons from 2015-
2020.
Harris-Tavita produced an outstanding player of the day display after being called in to fill the fullback’s position in the win over the Wests Tigers on July 3. As well as scoring a try he made 153 metres from 17 runs while he had a line break and four tackle breaks.
Pompey was a late inclusion for the Mount Smart Stadium homecoming, coming into the side when
Aitken was moved back to the second row after
Jack Murchie was ruled out with a leg injury. He retains his place in the centres against the Eels while
Aitken starts in the back row for the 15th time this season.
The Vodafone Warriors, who marked their homecoming with the club’s 300th victory, have a 5-5 record in their last 10 clashes against the Eels.
