While hooker Wayde Egan is back on deck halfback Te Maire Martin and second rower Kurt Capewell will both miss the One New Zealand Warriors’ Indigenous Round encounter with St George Illawarra at Go Media Stadium/ Te pā o Rarotonga on Friday (8.00pm kick-off).
Egan last started against the Titans but was forced off the field after a head knock just 13 minutes into the round 21 match.
Concussion protocols and a shoulder injury ruled him out of the following clash against the Dolphins while the shoulder complaint also kept him out of last week’s battle against the Bulldogs.
Martin and Capewell both suffered head knocks last Saturday night and are required to stand down this week as they follow concussion procedures.
With Egan back in the #9 jersey for his 146th career appearance, Sam Healey goes to the interchange after starting the last two games against the Dolphins and the Bulldogs.
Tanah Boyd returns at halfback for the unavailable Martin. Boyd was selected at halfback last week but was a late omission, dropping back to the New South Wales Cup where he helped the One New Zealand Warriors seal the competition’s minor premiership for the first time in the club’s history.
Moving back from the bench into the starting lineup for Capewell is 19-year-old rookie sensation Leka Halasima who’ll make his 13th start in a season in which he has played all 20 games and is currently the team’s leading try scorer with 10.
Back rower Eddie Toeava (20), who debuted as Warrior #294 against the Dolphins, joins a young bench which also includes Healey (23) and middle forwards Demitric Vaimauga (21) and Tanner Stowers-Smith (21).
After holding a spot in the top four for 16 straight weeks – and 17 in total – the Warriors have slipped to fifth after a run of three defeats.
They face the rejuvenated Dragons who have had consecutive victories over competition leader Canberra and top eight side Cronulla Sutherland to revive hopes of a late charge for a spot in the finals. They’re now 11th on 22 points – four off eighth spot – with four rounds to go.
When the two sides met in Wollongong in round 10, Luke Metcalf’s field goal edged the Warriors home 15-14. The teams have met at Go Media Stadium only three times since 2016 with the Warriors winning each time.