Addin Fonua-Blake will captain the Warriors this coming weekend. Photo / Photosport
Addin Fonua-Blake will captain the Warriors this coming weekend. Photo / Photosport
The Warriors will have another significantly rejigged line up this weekend, after the injury carnage from Sunday's defeat to the Panthers.
They've lost four front-line players for Saturday's clash with South Sydney (5:00pm NZT), which lessens the already slim chances of arresting their current losing streak.
Captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (concussion) and centre Rocco Berry (hamstring) have been ruled out, as well as second rower Tohu Harris (knee) and hooker Wayde Egan (shoulder).
Harris, Tuivasa-Sheck and Egan were forced off the field in quick succession early in the first half last Sunday, while Berry was out of the contest in the 36th minute.
Harris won't be back until next year after an ACL injury while Egan could also be gone for the season, though the extent of his shoulder injury is still being assessed.
Harris, who was the club's player of the season in 2020, is a huge loss. Aside from his skilful attacking touches, Harris offers a workload on both sides of the ball that few can replicate and he is one of the squad's core leaders.
Tohu Harris has been ruled out for the rest of the NRL season. Photo / Photosport
Egan's absence is also critical, as the only specialist hooker with NRL experience in the squad.
It's not yet known when Tuivasa-Sheck and Berry will be available to return.
Tuivasa-Sheck's absence – the first game he has missed this season – means prop Addin Fonua-Blake will captain the side.
Kodi Nikorima returns to the halves, after being used as an interchange option last Sunday, while Adam Pompey comes into the back line for Berry.
Jazz Tevaga will fill Egan's crucial No 9 role, with Josh Curran reverting to lock while Jack Murchie is named to replace Harris.
Rookie hooker Taniela Otukolo could make his second NRL appearance, listed on the interchange bench alongside Bunty Afoa, Leeson Ah Mau and Eliesa Katoa.
Ben Murdoch-Masila, who was a notable off-season recruit, remains out of favour. The Tongan international made a strong impact in the first half of the season but was poor in recent losses to the Dragons and Sharks.
"That writing wasn't appropriate, the words that were on that strapping," said NRL head of football elite competitions Graeme Annesley on Monday.
"It will be dealt with by the executive. It's being looked at, at the moment. There have been precedents about how these sorts of matters have been dealt with in the past. It will be looked at in conjunction with the type of action it was and potentially bringing the game into disrepute."
The Warriors have lost eight of their previous nine games.
The club's last victory came on May 21st against the Tigers. Since then it has dropped six straight – including one-point losses to the Cowboys and Dragons – to tumble out of contention for the top eight.
The team showed admirable spirit against the Panthers but have slumped to 14th place on the NRL ladder, ahead of just the Broncos and Bulldogs, in what is shaping as a forgettable campaign.
WARRIORS v SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS 5.00pm (NZT), Sunday, July 24, 2021, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Queensland
Warriors: Reece Walsh, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Adam Pompey, Euan Aitken, Marcelo Montoya, Kodi Nikorima, Chad Townsend, Addin Fonua-Blake (c), Jazz Tevaga, Matt Lodge, Jack Murchie, Bayley Sironen, Josh Curran. Interchange: Taniela Otukolo, Eliesa Katoa, Bunty Afoa, Leeson Ah Mau, Kane Evans, Edward Kosi, Sean O'Sullivan, Ben Murdoch-Masila.
