Depleted Kiwis name seven new faces

Kiwis coach Michael Maguire has named a heavily depleted 19-man squad for next week’s rugby league test against England in Denver.

The squad includes seven new faces after losingseveral experienced stars to injury andretirement, while Warriors trio Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Shaun Johnson and Tohu Harris reportedly made themselves unavailable.

Maguire also lost Adam Blair to suspension with last year’s World Cup captain facing a two-game ban for making dangerous contact to the head/neck area of the Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt during the Warriors’ win on Friday.

With Jesse Bromwich, Kieran Foran, Benji Marshall and Jordan Rapana ruled out injured, Maguire has turned to wings Ken Maumalo (Warriors) and Jamayne Isaako (Broncos), centre Esan Marsters (Tigers), front rowers Leeson Ah Mau (Dragons) and Herman Ese’ese (Knights), hooker Slade Griffin (Knights) and second rower Raymond Faitala-Mariner (Bulldogs).

Both Griffin and Ese’ese joined the Knights this season as part of Brown’s rebuild and have made strong impressions.

Born in Australia but raised in Greymouth, Griffin, 27, spent the previous four seasons at the Storm and overcame a horror injury run which saw him tear his ACL on three occasions to win a grand final with the club last year.

Ese’ese, 23, began his career with the Bulldogs in 2015 before shifting to the Broncos. He has played five tests for Samoa but has now aligned with his country of birth.