Aussie stars join Warriors At a glance

Australian rugby sevens stars Ellia Green and Evania Pelite are dramatic inclusions in a ‘‘multi-national’’ Warriors NRLWsquad.

The 2020 campaign has been ravaged by Covid-19 long before the season has started with only five players heading to Australia where the team will be based in 2020 because of trans-Tasman travel restrictions.

Brad Donald, who coached the Australian Jillaroos to victory over the Kiwi Ferns at the 2017 Women’s Rugby League World Cup, has named a squad of 21 women with four development players.

Donald, who replaced former NRL premiership winner Slade Griffin due to him remaining in Auckland because of Covid-19 restrictions, has secured four Jillaroos internationals in the squad theWarriors described as ‘‘multi-national’’. Green and Pelite are former Australian Olympic gold medal-winners with the rugby sevens team.

Warriors NRLWsquad: Stephanie Ball (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs), Madison Bartlett (Richmond Roses, Auckland), Karina Brown (Burleigh Bears, Qld), Brianna Clark (West Brisbane Panthers, Qld), Kirra Dibb (North Sydney Bears), Samantha Economos (Canterbury Bankstown), Tazmin Gray (Burleigh Bears, Qld), Ellia Green (Australian sevens rugby union), Georgia Hale (Richmond Roses), Naomi Kara (Wests Tigers, NSW), Teaghan Laing (Hartigan) (Burleigh Bears), Taimane Levu (Wests Brisbane Panthers), Kanyon Paul (Hamilton City Tigers, Waikato), Michaela (Kayla) Peck (Wests Brisbane Panthers), Evania Pelite (Australian sevens rugby union), Hilda Peters (Papakura Sisters, Auckland), Shaniah Power (West Brisbane Panthers), Kayla Sauvao (Wentworthville Magpies, NSW), Simone Smith (Newcastle, NSW), Shontelle Stowers (North Sydney Bears), Crystal Tamarua (Richmond Roses).