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Wayde Egan has extended his contract with the Warriors until the end of the 2025 season.
NRL, round 20: Warriors v Sharks. Where: Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland. When: Sunday, July 16, 4pm. Coverage: Live on Sky Sport 4, live updates on Stuff from 3.40pm.
Hard working defensive prop Bunty Afoa will be missing for the Warriors against the Sharks on Sunday but Dylan Walker has been named despite failing to finish Saturday night’s win over the Eels.
Afoa will miss the match under the NRL’s concussion protocols following a head knock during the 46-10 victory over Parramatta in Sydney.
His absence will see a reshuffle of the pack with Mitchell Barnett shifting back to the middle and Josh Curran, who returns from his NRL suspension, taking the place of Barnett on the right edge.
Walker, who has been outstanding off the bench since returning from a toe injury against the Dragons last month, suffered a forearm injury against the Eels. His inclusion for the round 20 clash with the Sharks would be a huge boost for the Warriors.
Bayley Sironen, who also hobbled off the field against the Eels, has been named to take his place on the bench.
Matt Blyth/Getty Images
Dylan Walker grimaces in pain as his forearm is checked over shortly before he left the field against the Eels.
Shaun Johnson, who will be up against his former club, again partners with Luke Metcalf – who enjoyed a breakout game on Saturday night – in the halves, but it shapes as another unsettled week for the club’s superstar No.7.
Johnson and his wife, Silver Fern Kayla Johnson, are expecting the birth of their second child this week.
Meanwhile, the club has extended standout hooker Wayde Egan for another season, keeping him at the Warriors until the end of 2025.
Egan, who joined the Warriors for the 2020 season from Penrith, played his 100th NRL match in the victory over Parramatta at the weekend and has grown to be a senior player at the club and a high quality hooker.
“Wayde is a hugely influential player for us,” Warriors head coach Andrew Webster said.
“He is a real leader while his ability and decision making on the field is critical to the way we perform.”
Also added until the end of the 2025 season is exciting centre prospect Ali Leiataua – the nephew of club great Ali Lauiti’iti.
Leiataua, 20, made his NRL debut during last month’s 36-14 away win over the Canberra Raiders.
It was an ultra-impressive start to his career in the top league but he left the field with a hamstring injury in the 68th minute and remains sidelined.
Currently on a development contract, Leiataua will move into the top 30 NRL squad for the 2024 season.
Warriors: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Rocco Berry, Adam Pompey, Marcelo Montoya, Luke Metcalf, Shaun Johnson, Addin Fonua-Blake, Wayde Egan, Mitchell Barnett, Jackson Ford, Josh Curran, Tohu Harris (capt). Interchange: Freddy Lussick, Bayley Sironen, Tom Ale, Dylan Walker. Extended bench: Kalani Going, Ronald Volkman, Taine Tuaupiki, Zyon Maiu’u, Viliami Vailea.
Referee: Gerard Sutton
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