LeagueNews.co | Nick Loken
The Warriors website, warriors.kiwi, has released the latest team list with a bittersweet farewell looming for three key players.
Shaun Johnson, Jazz Tevaga, and Addin Fonua-Blake are set to take the field together for their final home game as the NZ Warriors prepare to battle Canterbury Bankstown in the 25th round of the NRL on Friday night at the packed Shaun Johnson Stadium (kick-off at 8.00pm).
Emotions will be running high as 33-year-old Johnson gears up for his 223rd appearance for the club, with 87 of those games being played at his cherished home turf.
It's a poignant moment, more than a decade after his debut against the Wests Tigers back in 2011, where he was a fresh-faced rookie surrounded by club legends like Simon Mannering, Manu Vatuvei, and Ben Matulino.
Now, Johnson stands as the seasoned veteran of the team, with 267 career games under his belt, including 11 seasons with the Warriors.
For Tevaga, who will be playing his 137th game on Friday, the Shaun Johnson Stadium holds a special place in his heart as well, making it difficult to bid farewell to the team and the fans.
The Canterbury Bulldogs, currently sitting in fifth place with 32 points, will be tough opponents for the Warriors, having won six of their last seven matches, including a narrow victory over the Warriors earlier this season.
It promises to be a thrilling clash filled with passion, as the Warriors gear up to give their departing players a memorable send-off on the field.