HIKU TO SKIPPER BARELY-RECOGNISABLE WARRIORS LINE-UP

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Via Warriors Media

Experienced Peta Hiku will lead the Vodafone Warriors for the first time when he returns from a long injury-lay-off in a much-changed side to face the Wests Tigers in Friday night’s 20th-round NRL clash at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane (6.00pm kick-off local time; 8.00pm NZT).

Named at standoff, the versatile 28-year-old Hiku will be making his first appearance – and just his fifth of the season – since picking up a serious shoulder injury in the 20-14
win over St George Illawarra on April 18. Of the first four matches he played this season, the Vodafone Warriors won three beating Gold Coast, Canberra and the Dragons.

Hiku, who’ll be making his 148th career appearance, is teamed in the halves with Sean O’Sullivan. He’ll be the Vodafone Warriors’ third captain in as many games; departing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck led the side against Penrith – before leaving the field early with concussion – while prop Addin Fonua-Blake took over against the Rabbitohs last week. Through a combination of unavailability, injury and suspension, head coach Nathan Brown has had no option but to make a raft of changes to the line-up.

Tuivasa-Sheck has played his last game for the club after being given permission to return home before the Government completely pauses the Australian travel bubble on Friday and now veteran prop Leeson Ah Mau is also unavailable after being granted a request to be reunited with his family in Auckland.

Tohu Harris (shoulder), Wayde Egan (shoulder) and Rocco Berry (hamstring) are joined in the casualty ward by Addin Fonua-Blake (hand), Chad Townsend (shoulder), Jack Murchie (concussion) while impressive new signing Matt Lodge is suspended.

The heavy toll of unavailable players results in a completely new starting front row. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, who last played in the round 19 loss to Gold Coast, returns at prop after two loan appearances for the Dragons with Ben Murdoch-Masila the other starting prop alongside rookie hooker Taniela Otukolo, who’ll start for the first time.

Murchie is replaced by Eliesa Katoa while the bench named comprises Kodi Nikorima, Bunty Afoa, Kane Evans and Jazz Tevaga. Just three players have been named on the extended bench including young centre Viliami Vailea and prop Pride Petterson-Robati, both yet to make their NRL debuts.

WARRIORS v WESTS TIGERS

8.00pm (NZT), Friday, July 30, 2021

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

WARRIORS

1 REECE WALSH

2 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK

3 ADAM POMPEY

4 EUAN AITKEN

5 MARCELO MONTOYA

6 PETA HIKU (c)

7 SEAN O’SULLIVAN

8 JAMAYNE TAUNOA-BROWN

9 TANIELA OTUKOLO

10 BEN MURDOCH-MASILA

11 ELIESA KATOA

12 BAYLEY SIRONEN

13 JOSH CURRAN

Interchange:

14 KODI NIKORIMA

15 BUNTY AFOA

16 KANE EVANS

17 JAZZ TEVAGA

18 VILIAMI VAILEA

20 EDWARD KOSI

21 PRIDE PETTERSON-ROBATI

22 TBC

HEAD COACH | NATHAN BROWN

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