Injury clouds part as key figures named to start for Warriors

Warriors fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

Second rower Kurt Capewell and hooker Wade Egan suffered knocks in the club’s season-opening 12-16 loss to the Cronulla Sharks last Friday night and there were fears the injuries may keep them from boarding the plane to Melbourne for this weekend’s clash with the Storm.

Egan played just 34 minutes as he sat out the rest of the game with an arm injury while Capewell’s club debut was interrupted by an 11-minute stint on the bench with a rib issue before he returned to complete the last 21 minutes of the contest.

However, the NRL veterans and have both been included in an unchanged starting-line-up to take on the Storm, who come into the match buoyed by an 8-0 shutout of the three-times premiership-winning Penrith Panthers last Friday night.

Head coach Andrew Webster has made just one change to the extended 22-man squad with Chanel Harris-Tavita included in jersey 23 in place of second rower Jacob Laban.

Harris-Tavita played NSW Cup last week, scoring a try and kicking four goals in a 61-minute shift. The returning Warrior brings versatility for the trip to the Victorian capital.

This will be the 51st contest between the clubs, Melbourne holding a commanding 32-16 advantage with two draws.

Warriors team to face Storm (kickoff 9.35pm kick-off Saturday at AAMI Park, Melbourne)

1. Taine Tuaupiki
2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
3. Rocco Berry
4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
5. Marcelo Montoya
6. Luke Metcalf
7. Shaun Johnson
8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Wayde Egan
10. Mitchell Barnett
11. Jackson Ford
12. Kurt Capewell
13. Tohu Harris

Reserves
14. Freddy Lussick
15. Tom Ale
16. Bunty Afoa
17. Dylan Walker

Interchange
18. Adam Pompey
20. Jazz Tevaga
21. Te Maire Martin
22. Ali Leiataua
23. Chanel Harris-Tavita

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission