New recruits Brad Tighe, Kalifa FaiFai Loa and Siuatonga Likiliki have been handed the first chance to impress in the iSelect Titans’ backline for the club’s opening trial match against the New Zealand Warriors on Sunday.
Tighe (Penrith Panthers) and Likiliki (Newcastle Knights) will both line-up in the starting centres, while former North Queensland Cowboys flyer Kalifa FaiFai Loa has been selected on the wing in Titans Head Coach John Cartwright’s first squad for 2014.
Former Bulldogs NYC Under-20s stand-out Paul Carter, the son of premiership winning Penrith five-eighth Steve Carter, has been named as starting hooker in his first match in Titans colours.
Former Melbourne Storm centre Maurice Blair and former Rabbitohs NYC Under-20s halfback Christian Hazard have also been selected to make their unofficial Titans debuts from the interchange bench.
Rising playmakers Aidan Sezer and Albert Kelly will again form the club’s halves combination, while prop Matt White will play his first match in 12 months after undergoing a knee reconstruction.
The Titans squad leaves for New Zealand on Friday and will remain across the Tasman for 10 days in the build-up to the inaugural Auckland Nines tournament from February 15-16.
iSelect Titans vs NZ Warriors
North Harbour Stadium, Albany, NZ
4pm (NZ time) - Sunday, Feb 9
1 Anthony Don
2 Kalifa FaiFai Loa
3 Siuatonga Likiliki
4 Brad Tighe
5 Steve Michaels
6 Aidan Sezer
7 Albert Kelly
8 Ryan James
9 Paul Carter
10 Luke Douglas
11 Ben Ridge
12 Mark Minichiello
13 Tom Kingston
INTERCHANGE
14 Matt White
15 Caleb Binge
16 Mark Ioane
17 Christian Hazard
18 Jamal Fogarty
19 Cody Nelson
20 Maurice Blair
21 Jamie Dowling
22 Matt Beddow
