Via Warriors Media
Warriors head coach Nathan Brown has brought in former Brisbane halfback Sean O’Sullivan to make his club debut as Chanel Harris-Tavita’s replacement in Saturday’s third-round NRL clash against Canberra at GIO Stadium (3.00pm kick-off local time; 5.00pm NZT).
The 22-year-old O’Sullivan comes into the position following confirmation today that Harris-Tavita is expected to be sidelined for up to 12 weeks with a broken metatarsal in his left foot.
He was to have surgery today giving O’Sullivan the opportunity to come into the side as the fifth club debutant this season; he becomes Vodafone Warrior #255.
Like Harris-Tavita, ex-Junior Kangaroo and Australian Schoolboys representative O’Sullivan provides a left-footed kicking game.
Brown has also been forced to make a change to his starting front row following prop Jamayne Taunoa-Brown’s three-match suspension for a crusher tackle offence he was charged with from Friday night’s 16-20 loss to Newcastle.
That sees Brown opt for the explosive Bunty Afoa, so impressive off the bench in the opening two rounds of the season in his return from ACL surgery last year.
His promotion sees Brown bringing ex-Raider Jack Murchie onto the bench to face his old club at his former home ground.
Saturday’s match doubles as a major career milestone for Addin Fonua-Blake, who makes his 100th career appearance after 97 games for Manly Warringah. Left winger Ken Maumalo lifts his career tally to 98 games while captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck edges his club total to 97 games.
It’s also milestone moment time for hooker Wayde Egan, who plays his 50th NRL game this week coming off a team-high 55 tackles in an 80-minute stint against the Knights.
The Vodafone Warriors and the Raiders have shared the spoils in their last sic meetings with three wins each, the Vodafone Warriors losing both contest last year but having memorable wins at GIO Stadium in 2018 (20-19) and in 2019 (24-20).
In their 44 meetings since the first in 1995, the Vodafone Warriors have 20 wins to Canberra’s 24.
WARRIORS v CANBERRA RAIDERS
5.00pm (NZT), Saturday, March 27, 2021
GIO Stadium, Canberra
WARRIORS
1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)
2 DAVID FUSITU’A
3 ADAM POMPEY
4 PETA HIKU
5 KEN MAUMALO
6 KODI NIKORIMA
7 SEAN O’SULLIVAN
8 ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE
9 WAYDE EGAN
10 BUNTY AFOA
11 ELIESA KATOA
12 BAYLEY SIRONEN
13 TOHU HARRIS
Interchange:
14 JAZZ TEVAGA
15 BEN MURDOCH-MASILA
16 LEESON AH MAU
17 JACK MURCHIE
18 TOM ALE
20 MARCELO MONTOYA
21 PAUL TURNER
22 KANE EVANS
HEAD COACH | NATHAN BROWN
Categories: Team News + Stats, WARRIORS NEWS
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