NZ Warriors have welcomed back the quartet of Chanel Harris-Tavita, Addin Fonua-Blake, Matt Lodge and Josh Curran for Saturday's NRL encounter with Cronulla Sharks at Brisbane.
Harris-Tavita, 22, returns to the side after eight weeks out with a pectoral injury and hasn’t played since the round 14 loss to Melbourne Storm in June.
He partners Sean O'Sullivan in the halves, with Peta Hiku returning to the centres, after playing five-eighth against Wests Tigers last week.
Fonua-Blake returns from a finger injury to captain the side and joins Matt Lodge in the front row, with the latter returning from suspension.
Curran starts in the second row, after he was a late withdrawal from last week's 18-16 victory over the Tigers.
But forward Ben Murdoch-Masila could be out for the rest of the season, after picking up a foot injury in that win over the Tigers. Hooker Taniela Otukolo is also missing with a knee injury sustained last week, expected to be out of action until round 24.
Centre Euan Aitken will stay in the second row, alongside Curran and Bayley Sironen, after deputising out of position against the Tigers.
The Warriors snapped their seven-match losing streak against Wests and victory over the Sharks would see the Kiwi side record back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
NZ Warriors: 1-Reece Walsh, 2-Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3-Peta Hiku, 4-Viliam Vailea, 5-Marcelo Montoya, 6-Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7-Sean O'Sullivan, 8-Addin Fonua-Blake, 9-Jazz Tevaga, 10-Matt Lodge, 11-Euan Aitken, 12-Josh Curran, 13-Bayley Sironen.
Interchange (four to be omitted): 14-Kodi Nikorima, 15-Bunty Afoa, 16-Kane Evans, 17-Eliesa Katoa, 18-Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, 20-Edward Kosi, 21-Jack Murchie, 22-Adam Pompey.
