Aussie Tanah Boyd to make Warriors debut against Wests Tigers

Aussie Tanah Boyd to make Warriors debut against Wests Tigers


Tanah Boyd in action for the Warriors against the Panthers in the Knock On Effect NSW Cup at Mount Smart Stadium, 21 June 2025. 
Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport

Tanah Boyd will make his Warriors debut on Sunday.
Photo: www.photosport.nz

Australian Tanah Boyd will make his Warriors NRL debut, while winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak makes a surprise return for injury for their match against the Wests Tigers on Sunday.

The Warriors have also named Taine Tuaupiki at fullback and included Kurt Capewell on the extended bench for the round 19 match at Mount Smart Stadium.

The second rower could be a late inclusion if he comes through unscathed from Queensland’s State of Origin decider against NSW tonight.

Penrith-born Boyd has big boots to fill after being brought in by coach Andrew Webster to replace Luke Metcalf, whose has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an ACL rupture in the loss to the Broncos in round 17.

But the 24-year-old Boyd has plenty of experience, having played 69 games for the Gold Coast Titans before being signed off-season by the Warriors.

He has made an impression for the Warriors in the New South Wales Cup this season, scoring 137 points, with an 80 per cent goal-kicking strike rate in his 13 games for them. They lead that competition by five points from the Dragons after 18 rounds.

Watene-Zelezniak has recovered quicker than expected from the ankle injury he suffered in the round 16 loss to Penrith and slots back in on the wing, while Tuaupiki makes just his second appearance at fullback this season following a knee njury to first-choice fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Tuaupiki’s other nine matches this season have all been on the wing.

Jackson Ford has been named in the front row with Marata Niukore shifting from there to the second row.

The Warriors play after their third and final bye and will be looking to rebound following consecutive losses to the Panthers and Broncos. They are fourth on the ladder on 26 points, four points ahead of the Broncos and five ahead of the Panthers.

The Tigers broke a six-match losing streak with a win over the Roosters on Sunday and are now 14th on the ladder.

The NRL match is the main event of a home tripleheader at home with the Warriors’ NRLW side having their first home game since 2019, against Parramatta (kickoff 1.50pm) and the NSW Cup team playing Western Suburbs at 11.40am.

Warriors v Wests Tigers, 4pm Sunday, Mount Smart Stadium

Warriors: Taine Tuaupiki, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Adam Pompey, Rocco Berry, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Tanah Boyd; James Fisher-Harris (c), Wayde Egan, Jackson Ford, Leka Halasima, Marata Niukore, Erin Clark. Interchange: Te Maire Martin, Jacob Laban, Demitric Vaimauga, Tanner Stowers-Smith. Reserves: Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Samuel Healey, Bunty Afoa, Edward Kosi, Kurt Capewell.

Wests Tigers: Sunia Turuva, Charlie Staines, Adam Doueihi, Starford To’a, Jeral Skelton, Jarome Luai, Latu Fainu; Terrell May, Apisai Koroisau, Fonua Pole, Samuela Fainu, Tony Sukkar, Alex Twal. Interchange: Tristan Hope, Alex Seyfarth, Sione Fainu, Jack Bird. Extended bench: Heath Mason, Charlie Murray, Kit Laulilii, Brent Naden, Luke Laulilii.

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