Andrew Webster Names Kurt Capewell in Warriors' Extended Squad

Andrew Webster has kept kurt capewell in the New Zealand Warriors’ extended squad for Sunday’s home match against the North Queensland Cowboys. Mitch Barnett is there too, leaving the club room to decide whether two State of Origin starters can back up after Wednesday night’s series game in Melbourne.

Warriors Face Origin Timing

Barnett and Capewell will start for New South Wales and Queensland respectively, then face a four-day turnaround if they suit up in Christchurch. Webster’s inclusion of both men in the extended squad gives the Warriors time to judge their recovery before kickoff, and it comes with the club already carrying a trimmed roster.

The Warriors have lost Tanah Boyd and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck for the season with knee injuries. James Fisher-Harris is out with a strained calf, Leka Halasima is sidelined by a hamstring strain, and Alofiana Khan-Pereira joined the casualty list this week with a quad contusion. That leaves less cover if either Origin player needs another day.

Christchurch Selection Pressure

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad will start out wide against the Cowboys, while Sam Healey has been cleared for an early return from thumb surgery and was named on the interchange. Rocco Berry and Luke Metcalf were also named on the interchange after a couple of weeks in reserve grade, giving Webster some experienced options even with the injuries mounting.

The Warriors enter the weekend second on the table but only two points ahead of five chasing teams after back-to-back losses. That keeps the margin tight heading into a home game against a Cowboys side that has lost two straight to the Canberra Raiders and the Dolphins, even as Jeremiah Nanai and Braidon Burns returned for North Queensland and Heilum Luki and Reuben Cotter stayed in the starting side after Origin duty. Todd Payten’s team also includes Matt Lodge, another former Warrior in the visiting squad.