Canterbury juniors to take centre stage at One New Zealand Stadium
Rugby league’s top-level debut at One New Zealand Stadium in Ōtautahi Christchurch on Sunday is fittingly set to feature a clutch of players who were developed in Canterbury.
After an NRLW trial between the Warriors and Brisbane Broncos women’s teams at 11am under the One New Zealand Stadium roof, the Warriors and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs square off in a Round 16 NSW Cup clash at 1.30pm.
The Warriors have named Linwood Keas youngster Amasio Tiatia at hooker and Papanui Tigers product Jason Salalilo on the bench. Salalilo recent re-signed with the club for another two years and was included on the NRL side’s six-man bench last weekend. Tiatia has played SG Ball (under-19s) and Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21s) this season but has earned two appearances at senior level with the NSW Cup side.
Hornby Panthers’ teenaged forward sensation Bishop Neal was not named to back up in NSW Cup after representing Queensland in Thursday night’s Under-19s Origin match.
Meanwhile, another Panthers tyro, Sosaia Alatani, will line up in the centres for the Bulldogs. Alatini was a tryscoring machine in the second-row coming through the NSWRL junior grades for the Bulldogs but has been starring in the backline at NSW Cup level in 2026, scoring three tries and producing five try assists in five games.
The Warriors’ NRL showdown with North Queensland Cowboys will kick off in front of a packed house at 4pm.
After an eye-catching top-grade debut last weekend against Cronulla, Linwood Keas hooker Makaia Tafua has been named on the Warriors’ extended bench with regular No.14 Sam Healey returning from injury on the interchange.
If Tafua is not required for NRL duty, it’s likely he’ll slot into the Warriors’ NSW Cup side, for whom he has played 42 games over the past three seasons.
A Canterbury junior certain to feature for the Warriors’ NRL team is Halswell Hornets prop Tanner Stowers-Smith, who was named to start in the front-row for the second week in a row with skipper James Fisher-Harris out injured.
After impressing in 13 rookie-season appearances in 2025, the 22-year-old Stowers-Smith has come along in leaps and bounds this season and will make his ninth appearance of the year on Sunday in his home city.
There’s also a Halswell connection in the Cowboys’ line-up courtesy of West Coaster Griffin Neame, who played some junior football for the Hornets before heading to Queensland.
A veteran of six Tests for the Kiwis, Neame will make his 104th top-grade appearance for the Cowboys.
