Winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and centre Leka Halasima have been confirmed in the One New Zealand Warriors’ starting lineup for today’s NRL elimination semi-final against the Newcastle Knights at Eden Park (6.05pm kick-off).
Less than four weeks after breaking his right clavicle (collarbone), the 31-year-old comes in on the right wing for Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad with Halasima in for Adam Pompey on the left edge.
That sees Nicoll-Klokstad switched to the left wing replacing Alofi’ana Khan-Pereira who goes to the six-man bench along with Pompey, Sam Healey, Tanner Stowers Smith, Demitric Vaimauga and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava. Morgan Gannon is the player omitted.
Confirmation of his selection means Watene-Zelezniak will today make his 250th NRL milestone appearance in a 13-season career which has spanned time with the Panthers, Bulldogs and Warriors.
Halasima will bring up his 50-game milestone for the club.
Ruled out is prop Jackson Ford, who suffered an ankle injury in his comeback after being sidelined since June with a pectoral tear. In his absence Eddie Ieremia-Toeava is named as his replacement in the #17 jersey.
The rest of the side selected is the same as the one which started against the Dolphins.
The Warriors’ seventh home final is the first they have played away from Go Media Stadium.
It will be their second play-off against the Knights. In the first in 2023 the Warriors came back from a week one finals loss to Penrith to beat Newcastle 40-10 at Go Media Stadium.