Wayde Egan will mark his 150th NRL game when he runs out for the One New Zealand Warriors against Penrith on Saturday, returning just in time from a hip issue that sidelined him for last week’s loss to Manly.
The hooker’s milestone comes with added weight, given it will be against the Panthers, the club where his first-grade career began.
Egan’s steady influence in the middle has been sorely missed, and his availability is a boost for Andrew Webster’s side as they prepare for an elimination final at Go Media Stadium. He will start between props James Fisher-Harris and Jackson Ford, the latter also returning from suspension to reinforce the Warriors’ engine room.
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Ford slots back in, Capewell shuffled wide
Ford’s comeback sees him resume as starting prop after serving a three-game ban for a crusher tackle, while rookie Tanner Stowers-Smith shifts to the bench.
The reshuffle in the pack is complemented by a backline change forced by Rocco Berry’s shoulder injury. Kurt Capewell, a Queensland Origin representative, is pushed into the centres, with Leka Halasima covering Capewell’s usual second-row role.
The Warriors head into the clash after finishing sixth on the ladder, securing home advantage for the second year in a row. Their opponents, the Panthers, finished just one point behind in seventh and recall Brian To’o and Liam Martin to a squad already boasting Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo.
Kick-off is set for 6.05 pm on Saturday.