Michaela Brake is among 10 NRLW debutants named against Sydney Roosters. Photo: Alan Lee/Photosport
Black Ferns Sevens star Michaela Brake has been named on the wing for her rugby league debut, when NZ Warriors return to the NRLW against Sydney Roosters on Saturday.
Coach Ron Griffiths has selected a squad featuring 10 NRLW debutants, including rugby converts Brake, centre Tysha Ikenasio, five-eighth Patricia Maliepo and second-rower Shakira Baker.
Fullback and captain Apii Nicholls is the only player to previously appear for the Warriors, as one of the foundation members of the women's programme.
Others to have played in the competition before include centre Emmanita Paki and lock Laishon Albert-Jones - who both won championships under Griffiths at Newcastle Knights - halfback Emily Curtain (Parramatta Eels, Wests Tigers), props Harata Butler (Cronulla Sharks, North Queensland Cowboys), hooker Capri Paekau (Eels) and interchange forward Matekino Gray (Gold Coast Titans).
"We're very excited," Griffiths said. "We have a diverse range of cultural backgrounds and a diverse group of players, with 75 percent of them not playing NRLW in the past 12 months.
"From our perspective, we're really looking forward to going up against a side like the Roosters to get a yardstick of where we're at.
"We're confident we'll be a team that certainly has lots of fun with the football and, defensively, we're going to work very hard for each other."
One surprise selection is teenage prop Ashlee Matapo, 18, who was not among the original squad, but was brought in on a development contract to cover for injuries and unavailabilities.
The Warriors women have not had the benefit of trial matches and will take on the defending champion Roosters in a rematch of their inaugural 2018 game, when the Auckland club toppled the Sydneysiders 10-4.
Warriors: 1 Apii Nicholls (c), 2 Michaela Brake, 3 Tysha Ikenasio, 4 Emmanita Paki, 5 Payton Takimoana, 6 Patricia Maliepo, 7 Emily Curtain, 8 Harata Butler, 9 Capri Paekau, 10 Lavinia Litai, 11 Shakira Baker, 13 Laishon Albert-Jones
