Warriors v Eels
Eden Park, Saturday, 7.30pm
The debut handed to emerging talent Glen Fisiiahi is the major surprise in the Warriors side named by coach Ivan Cleary to face Parramatta in the club's NRL opener at Eden Park on Saturday night.
The 20-year-old star of last year's champion Toyota Cup team was the standout performer in the club's pre-season trials.
Even so, his immediate elevation to the NRL side ahead of new recruit Krisnan Inu and incumbent Kevin Locke was not widely expected - even by Fisiiahi.
He scored five tries in the first three trials against Newcastle, Parramatta and Burleigh but was initially left out of the final trial against Manly before being added to the squad on match day.
"The last few months have been unbelievable, winning the NYC premiership with the Junior Warriors, playing for the Junior Kiwis and then joining the NRL squad for the off-season," Fisiiahi said.
"And now I've been given the chance to play my first NRL match already.
"I didn't expect this just yet but I'm so excited and looking forward to running out on to Eden Park on Saturday night."
Playing fullback, the speedster scored 20 tries in 26 games for the U20s last season, and was also the reluctant star of a classic YouTube moment when he failed to ground the ball attempting to score against South Sydney.
Cleary had confirmed Fisiiahi would feature at the NRL this season, but some early-season foxing from the coach created the impression Fisiiahi would be kept as an ace up his sleeve for a while yet.
"Glen deserves this chance," Cleary said. "So far he has done everything we have expected of him.
"There was certainly plenty of competition for the right wing, as there was for positions right across the park."
Fisiiahi will be one of three Warriors on debut, the others being new recruits Feleti Mateo and Shaun Berrigan.
Named to start in the second row, Mateo will form a power-packed left-side combination with Jerome Ropati and Manu Vatuvei.
Berrigan will come off the bench to spell Aaron Heremaia at hooker.
The absence of the likes of Inu, Locke, Ukuma Ta'ai and Sione Lousi in an 18-man squad underscores the level of talent at Cleary's disposal.
His line-up includes 10 of the 13 players who started last year's finals match on the Gold Coast.
Backrower Lewis Brown has dropped to the bench to make way for Mateo but otherwise the pack is unchanged.
Jerome Ropati is back from injury to fill a centre spot vacated by Brent Tate, and Fisiiahi replaces Locke.
Converted backrowers Ben Matulino and Jacob Lillyman will back up starting props Sam Rapira and Russell Packer, while either Brown or Steve Rapira look likely to drop off the five-man bench.
The match is Kiwi coach and former Warrior Stephen Kearney's first outing as an NRL head coach.
Kearney has reinstated young five-eighths Daniel Mortimer to the starting lineup.
There is no place for former Kiwis international Paul Whatuira who joined the club this season from Huddesfield.
The Eels will also be without senior prop Justin Poore, who is a longterm casualty with a knee injury.
WARRIORS v EELS
Warriors
Lance Hohaia
Glen Fisiiahi
Joel Moon
Jerome Ropati
Manu Vatuvei
James Maloney
Brett Seymour
Sam Rapira
Aaron Heremaia
Russell Packer
Simon Mannering (c)
Feleti Mateo
Michael Luck
Eels
Jarryd Hayne
Luke Burt
Chris Walker
Ryan Morgan
Etu Uaisele
Daniel Mortimer
Jeff Robson
Tim Mannah
Casey McGuire
Mitchell Allgood
Nathan Hindmarsh (c)
Taniela Lasalo
Justin Horo
Warriors interchange: Shaun Berrigan, Jacob Lillyman, Ben Matulino, Lewis Brown, Steve Rapira (one to be omitted).
Eels interchange: Matt Keating, Shane Shackleton, Ben Smith, Carl Webb, Billy Rogers (one to be omitted).
