Tanah Boyd will make his Warriors NRL debut after being named to start at halfback for Sunday’s NRL clash with the Wests Tigers in Auckland.
After Luke Metcalf’s season-ending ACL injury, coach Andrew Webster has been forced to make a change in the No 7 jersey and he’s enlisted hisfaith in Boyd, who has led the club’s reserve squad to the top of the table in the New South Wales Cup.
The 24-year-old is in his first season at the club, having joined from the Gold Coast Titans where he made 69 appearances in five years.
Meanwhile, there are two changes in the outside backs with Taine Tuaupiki replacing the injured Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad at fullback, while Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is poised to make a shock return from an ankle injury.
Nicoll-Klokstad is set to be sidelined until round 21 with an MCL injury, while Watene-Zelezniak was originally ruled out for four to six weeks after suffering an ankle injury three weeks ago against Penrith.
In the forwards, Jackson Ford starts in the front row with Marata Niukore listed in the second row alongside Leka Halasima.
Kurk Capewell also has a chance of playing after being named on the extended bench.
Capewell is aiming to help Queensland win the State of Origin decider on Wednesday night.
Victory is paramount for the Warriors if they are to finish inside the top four as they currently sit four points above the fifth-placed Broncos, who have a bye up their sleeve.
Warriors: 1. Taine Tuaupiki, 2. Adam Pompey, 3. Kurt Capewell, 4. Rocco Berry, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. James Fisher-Harris (c), 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Leka Halasima, 12. Marata Niukore 13. Erin Clark.
Interchange (from): 14. Te Maire Martin, 15. Jacob Laban, 16. Demetric Vaimauga, 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 18. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, 20. Sam Healey, 21. Bunty Afoa, 22. Ed Kosi, 23. Kurt Capewell.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.
