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The One New Zealand Warriors have named an unchanged team for their first home game of the season against Manly Warringah. The much-anticipated match will take place at Go Media Stadium on Friday night, kicking off at 8.00pm. This is the first of two consecutive Friday night home games, with the Sydney Roosters visiting Auckland on March 21.
The decision to stick with the same squad comes 12 days after the Warriors' disappointing performance in Las Vegas. Head coach Andrew Webster confirmed over 24 hours before announcing the lineup that the team would remain unchanged. "If I'm honest, I want to give these guys an opportunity to right the wrongs. You won't see many changes at all," he commented. Consequently, the same 22 players who were selected for the Canberra match in round one have been retained.
Webster rearranged his starting forward pack on game day in Las Vegas. Jackson Ford was brought off the bench to start at prop, Mitchell Barnett was moved from the front row to start at loose forward, and Erin Clark was shifted to the interchange. The players who did not feature in Vegas, including hooker Sam Healey, halfback-standoff Te Maire Martin, second rower Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, prop Bunty Afoa and winger Edward Kosi, all played a role in the Warriors' 18-16 round one New South Wales Cup victory over the Canberra Raiders last Saturday.
While the Warriors opened their season with an 8-30 loss to the Raiders, the Sea Eagles put on a spectacular display against North Queensland, racing to a 24-0 halftime lead before securing a 42-12 victory last Saturday night. Webster praised Manly's performance, saying, "They were unreal. They got off to a flier. They attacked well, they defended well. Hopefully we can create an atmosphere here that will make it hard for them. We're coming up against a good team so that's exciting."
The upcoming match will hold special significance for co-captain James Fisher Harris, as he is set to experience his first home game for the Warriors at a packed Go Media Stadium. Erin Clark is also close to reaching his 100-game career milestone, playing his 97th game this week and his first as a Warrior at Go Media Stadium since his debut there against the Storm on the 22nd anniversary of the club's first game (March 10, 2017). Centre Adam Pompey will be making his 96th first-grade appearance, all of them for the One New Zealand Warriors.
In the past, Manly has proven to be a formidable opponent for the Warriors, holding a 28-13 advantage in their 42 matches (with one drawn). The last time the two sides met in Auckland in April, the game ended in a 22-22 draw after extra time. In 2023, however, the Warriors emerged victorious with a 29-22 win.
The decision to stick with the same squad comes 12 days after the Warriors' disappointing performance in Las Vegas. Head coach Andrew Webster confirmed over 24 hours before announcing the lineup that the team would remain unchanged. "If I'm honest, I want to give these guys an opportunity to right the wrongs. You won't see many changes at all," he commented. Consequently, the same 22 players who were selected for the Canberra match in round one have been retained.
Webster rearranged his starting forward pack on game day in Las Vegas. Jackson Ford was brought off the bench to start at prop, Mitchell Barnett was moved from the front row to start at loose forward, and Erin Clark was shifted to the interchange. The players who did not feature in Vegas, including hooker Sam Healey, halfback-standoff Te Maire Martin, second rower Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, prop Bunty Afoa and winger Edward Kosi, all played a role in the Warriors' 18-16 round one New South Wales Cup victory over the Canberra Raiders last Saturday.
While the Warriors opened their season with an 8-30 loss to the Raiders, the Sea Eagles put on a spectacular display against North Queensland, racing to a 24-0 halftime lead before securing a 42-12 victory last Saturday night. Webster praised Manly's performance, saying, "They were unreal. They got off to a flier. They attacked well, they defended well. Hopefully we can create an atmosphere here that will make it hard for them. We're coming up against a good team so that's exciting."
The upcoming match will hold special significance for co-captain James Fisher Harris, as he is set to experience his first home game for the Warriors at a packed Go Media Stadium. Erin Clark is also close to reaching his 100-game career milestone, playing his 97th game this week and his first as a Warrior at Go Media Stadium since his debut there against the Storm on the 22nd anniversary of the club's first game (March 10, 2017). Centre Adam Pompey will be making his 96th first-grade appearance, all of them for the One New Zealand Warriors.
In the past, Manly has proven to be a formidable opponent for the Warriors, holding a 28-13 advantage in their 42 matches (with one drawn). The last time the two sides met in Auckland in April, the game ended in a 22-22 draw after extra time. In 2023, however, the Warriors emerged victorious with a 29-22 win.
