One New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster has shown faith in his players for tomorrow night’s first home game of the 2025 NRL season against Manly Warringah at Go Media Stadium (8.00pm kick-off).
In updating the squad 24 hours before kick-off, he has confirmed the same 19 players used in the round one match against Canberra at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on March 1.
There are no changes to the starting combination and interchange with Eddie Ieremia-Toeava again named as 18th man and halfback Te Maire Martin as 19th man.
The three players to drop out of the extended squad are hooker Sam Healey, front rower Bunty Afoa and winger Edward Kosi.
Tomorrow night’s match is the first of two back-to-back Friday night home games with the Sydney Roosters in Auckland a week later on March 21.
With the clash against Manly coming 12 days after the Warriors’ disappointment in Las Vegas, Webster indicated more than 24 hours before naming the lineup that he would be staying with the same combination – and he did.
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* Dean Matterson
* Jake Arthur
* Josh Aloiai
* Referee: Adam Gee
* Touch Judge: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
* Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Last updated: 3/13/2025 7:01:03 AM
“I want to give these guys an opportunity to right the wrongs,” he said.
Webster shuffled his starting forward pack on game day in Las Vegas with Jackson Ford brought off the bench to start at prop, Mitchell Barnett moved from the front row to start at loose forward and Erin Clark shifted to the interchange.
The players not used in Vegas – hooker Sam Healey, halfback-standoff Te Maire Martin, second rower Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, prop Bunty Afoa and winger Edward Kosi – were all involved in the Warriors’ 18-16 round one New South Wales Cup win over the Canberra Raiders last Saturday.
While the Warriors began their season with an 8-30 loss to the Raiders, the Sea Eagles were in irresistible form against North Queensland as they raced to a 24-0 halftime lead before going on to win 42-12 last Saturday night.
“They were unreal. They got off to a flier,” said Webster.
“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.”
Friday night’s match will have special meaning for co-captain James Fisher Harris as he experiences his first home game for the Warriors at a packed Go Media Stadium.
Clark will edge towards his 100-game career milestone when he plays 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 make his 96th first-grade appearance, all of them for the One New Zealand Warriors.
Manly has been the Warriors’ most challenging opponent in their history holding a 28-13 advantage in 42 matches played (with one drawn).
When the two sides met in Auckland last April they drew 22-22 after extra time while in 2023 the Warriors prevailed 29-22.