Once again the One New Zealand Warriors will line up as selected when they meet the Gold Coast Titans in today’s round 21 NRL match at Go Media Stadium (5.00pm kick-off).
It’s the fifth time running head coach Andrew Webster has confirmed his team as selected.
Hooker Sam Healey is the 18th man with Taine Tuaupiki 19th.
Omitted at the 24-hour deadline yesterday were prop Bunty Afoa, centre Ali Leiataua and second rower Eddie Ieremia-Toeava.
The match doubles as a major milestone occasion for the 28-year-old Marata Niukore (Warrior #277) who came through the Warriors’ pathways as a junior making 42 appearances for the club’s under-20 side and 15 at New South Wales Cup level before signing with Parramatta.
He amassed 96 NRL appearances for the Eels from 2018-2022 but returned home for the 2023 campaign.
Niukore lined up against the Warriors when he made his first-grade debut in 2018 but now he reaches his 150-game career milestone and does it in Warriors colours in front of family at home.
He plays his 54th match for the Warriors in a season in which he has been one of six players to appear in all 17 of the club’s games so far along with Erin Clark, Halasima, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Adam Pompey and Demitric Vaimauga.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad returns at fullback from a knee injury in the only change to the lineup that snared a stunning Leka Halasima-inspired last second 20-15 win over the Newcastle Knights on Sunday night.
After being forced off in the round 17 loss to the Broncos, Nicoll-Klokstad is back in his customary role after missing the victories over the Wests Tigers and Newcastle.
The Warriors come into the match with 12-5 record still in fourth spot but now level on 30 points with the Melbourne Storm; the pair have a four-point buffer between them and the fifth-placed Brisbane Broncos.
They face a Titans side left devastated after the Tigers edged them 21-20 with a last gasp field goal leaving Gold Coast at the foot of the points table.
And yet the Titans boast an impressive recent record against the Warriors winning five of the last six encounters between the two sides including two victories at Go Media Stadium when current Warriors halfback Tanah Boyd was a match winner both times.