NZ Warriors unchanged to battle Cowboys
- Dave Worsley
- Apr 29
- 2 min read
Updated: May 2
New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster has named an unchanged starting lineup for Saturday’s Magic Round encounter with the North Queensland Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane evening.
Webster made a late switch to the pack for the Anzac Day clash against Newcastle when
he moved Leka Halasima off the interchange to start in the second with Marata Niukore
going to prop and Jackson Ford to the bench.
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He has retained that combination in the side named for the Cowboys clash, the only change from the 17 used in the 26-12 win over the Knights in Christchurch has Te Maire Martin named on the bench to replace back rower Jacob Laban,.
Laban is subject to NRL concussion protocols resulting from a head knock during his 37-minute stint on Anzac Day when he made 41 metres from six runs and 27 tackles without a miss.
Coming onto the extended bench is another of the club’s young brigade Eddie Ieremia-
Toeava.
The Warriors head into Magic Round’s 2025 edition facing a new opponent in Cowboys,
who have turned their season around over the past five weeks.
They started the year with three straight losses to the Sea Eagles, Sharks and Broncos
but have rebounded with four wins on end over the Raiders, Panthers, Rabbitohs and
Titans, the last result a 50-18 margin coming off a bye.
That leaves them lying sixth on 10 points with the fifth-placed Broncos just behind the
Warriors, who are second equal with the Storm and Raiders on 12 points but fourth on
points for and against differential. The Bulldogs top the ladder on 14 points.
The Warriors’ 5-2 start to their 2025 campaign has been bettered only once in the club’s
history (in 2018 when they had a 6-1 record after their first seven games).
They’ve won their last three contests with the Cowboys, two in Townsville and one at Go
Media Stadium coming into what is a home clash for the Warriors on neutral territory.
Warriors: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Taine Tuaupiki, Rocco Berry, Ali Leiataua, Adam Pompey, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Luke Metcalf; Jackson Ford, Wayde Egan, Mitchell Barnett, Kurt Capewell, Marata Niukore, Erin Clark. Interchange: Leka Halasima, Bunty Afoa, Demitric Vaimauga, Te Marie Mattn.
