Aidan Sezer and Jayden Sullivan will form a new-look halves pairing when Wests Tigers take on the Warriors in Sunday’s pre-season challenge match in Christchurch.
It marks a fresh start and first appearance for the club for both players, who could well suit up in the seven and six respectively for the team’s season-opener against Canberra Raiders in Round 2.
At 32 years of age, Sezer is returning to the NRL after playing four seasons in England.
Ten years his junior, Sullivan will also pull on the orange, black and white for the first time after signing a four-year contract with the club.
Time will tell if rookie coach and club legend Benji Marshall has shown his hand in the first official hit out for the Wests Tigers.
But looking at the starting 13 it’s obvious Marshall has pretty much chosen his forward pack – the engine room of any rugby league team.
On the other hands, his backline selections, other than for the halves, indicate Marshall has an open mind ahead of the 2024 NRL season.
Another player who is pressing for NRL selection is Lachlan Galvin. The 18-year-old five eighth has impressed in pre-season and will come off the bench on Sunday.
The 28-strong squad is a mix of senior players, local juniors and several who are on train and trial contracts, including former Canterbury Bulldogs player Declan Casey.
Casey has been named to start in the centres, as has development contract player Solomona Faataape, who was voted players’ player for last year’s Queensland Cup premiers, Brisbane Tigers.
Wests Tigers v New Zealand Warriors:
1 Jahream Bula
2 Charlie Staines
3 Solomona Faataape
4 Declan Casey
5 Junior Tupou
6 Jayden Sullivan
7 Aidan Sezer
8 Stefano Utoikamanu
9 Api Koroisau (c)
10 David Klemmer
11 Isaiah Papali’i
12 Asu Kepaoa
13 Alex Seyfarth
Interchange:
14 Lachlan Galvin
15 Josh Feledy
16 Fonua Pole
17 Samuela Fainu
18 Kit Laulilii
19 Sione Fainu
20 Jake Simpkin
21 Tallyn Da Silva
22 Heath Mason
23 Alex Lobb
24 Tony Sukkar
25 Navren Willett
26 Nick Lui-Toso
27 Reuben Porter
28 Sione Vaihu
