Warriors’ side named for season finale at home

Published 3:17pm 30 August 2022

Euan Aitken, Wayde Egan, Marcelo Montoya, Jesse Arthars and Rocco Berry all return for the Vodafone Warriors’ fourth and final Homecoming Series match against Gold Coast Titans at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday (5.00pm kick-off).

The sold-out season-ending encounter will also double as a farewell for Aitken and Arthars as well as fullback Reece Walsh, standoff Chanel Harris-Tavita and second rower Eliesa Katoa who all finish with the club this weekend.

Egan (back spasms) and Montoya (knee contusion) were late injury withdrawals ahead of last Friday night’s loss to Penrith while Aitken was unavailable for personal reasons.

Arthars and Berry return in a changed centres combination, Arthars back after missing the last five games through a quad injury and then a virus while Berry has been with feeder club Redcliffe in the Queensland Cup since his last NRL appearance against the Sharks in June.

They replace last week’s centres pairing of Viliami Vailea and Adam Pompey with Montoya back on the left wing spot he has filled most of the season.

First-choice hooker Egan will again wear the #9 jersey with Aitken slotting straight back into the second row where he was initially named for the Penrith game.

Veteran halfback Shaun Johnson, replaced at halftime with a calf complaint last week, is set to start his 184th match for the club – and his 22nd of the season – again teamed up in the halves with Tavita-Harris.

Bunty Afoa, named to start at loose forward, will achieve the distinction of being the only player to appear an each of the Vodafone Warriors’ 24 matches this season.

Named on the extended bench in jersey #18 is departing second rower Jack Murchie, who missed last week’s match with injury. Also named are standoff Daejarn Asi and prop Jackson Frei who are both leaving the club as well.

The Vodafone Warriors and Gold Coast will again play for the Zae Wallace Shield, named in honour of the young Aucklander and Titans under-20 player who died in 2019.

VODAFONE WARRIORS TEAM LIST

1 REECE WALSH

2 DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK

3 JESSE ARTHARS

4 ROCCO BERRY

5 MARCELO MONTOYA

6 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA

7 SHAUN JOHNSON

8 ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE

9 WAYDE EGAN

10 TOHU HARRIS (c)

11 EUAN AITKEN