Mason Lino, Isaiah Papali'i and Anthony Gelling have been named in the Warriors' starting line-up against the Melbourne Storm in the annual Anzac Day match on Wednesday.
Blake Green of the Warriors Photo: © Copyright Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz Photosport Ltd 2018
Lino and Gelling again start in place of Shaun Johnson and Solomone Kata after helping the Warriors to a gritty 20-12 seventh-round win over St George Illawarra last Friday night.
Papali'i is set to start an NRL match for the third time after replacing Tohu Harris 27 minutes into the encounter with the Dragons.
Johnson (groin) and Kata (ankle) ran at training today but weren't declared fit to play while Harris hasn't been cleared as he undergoes concussion protocols after leaving the field on Friday night.
Lino, Gelling and Papali'i - boasting just 23 appearances between them - scored three of the Warriors' four tries as they ended the Dragons' six-match unbeaten start in 2018 in one of the most extraordinary contests in the club's history, just the sixth win in 27 meetings.
With Penrith losing to Cronulla yesterday, the Warriors level with the Dragons at the top of the table on 12 points and second on points differential.
Ligi Sao, Joseph Vuna and Sam Cook have been brought onto the extended bench alongside Jazz Tevaga, Sam Lisone, Albert Vete, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Chris Satae.
While the Warriors have started their campaign with an unprecedented six wins in the opening seven rounds, Melbourne has mixed four wins with three losses.
Two of their defeats were by two points and one point to the Wests Tigers but, since losing to the Tigers in Auckland, the Storm have seen off Newcastle 40-14 and Brisbane 34-20 to sit fifth on the ladder.
This will be the ninth time the Warriors and the Storm have met since the Anzac Day fixture was introduced in 2009. The match-up was shelved in 2015 when the Storm met Manly and the Warriors faced Gold Coast.
With the Michael Moore Trophy at stake, the Vodafone Warriors will wear their Heritage jersey bearing a poppy on Wednesday night.
Warriors: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, David Fusitua, Peta Hiku, Anthony Gelling, Ken Maumalo, Blake green, Mason Lino, Bunty Afoa, Isaac Luke, Agnatius Paasi, Simon Mannering, Isaia Papali'i, Adam Blair.
Interchange: Jazz Tevaga, Sam Lisone, Albert Vete, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Ligi Sao, Joseph Vuna, Chris Satae, Sam Cook.
