South Sydney veteran Benji Marshall is poised to match the record for NRL first-grade games by a Kiwi, when he takes the field against Gold Coast Titans on Friday.
Marshall, 36, has been named on the Rabbitohs interchange bench for their visit to Queensland and will make his 331st appearance, equalling the mark currently held by former Wests Tigers teammate Adam Blair.
The utility made his NRL debut with Wests against Newcastle Knights in 2003, and has notched up games with the Tigers (257), St George Dragons (54), Brisbane Broncos (13) and Souths (6) over an 19-year career, scoring 94 tries and 1222 points.
Meanwhile, Kiwis half Shaun Johnson has been named for his first outing of the season, after missing the latter stages of Cronulla Sharks' 2020 campaign with an Achilles tendon injury.
Johnson will come off the bench against Canterbury Bulldogs on Saturday.
Other key Kiwi NRL selections this week include:
- Former Mt Wellington Warriors centre Steven Marsters will start in a reshuffled Rabbitohs backline, after star fullback Latrell Mitchell was suspended for dangerous contact.
- Former Hikurangi Stags half Dylan Brown returns from suspension for Paramatta Eels against Brisbane Broncos.
- Kiwis hooker Danny Levi has been rushed onto the Broncos interchange bench, after signing midweek.
- Kiwis forward Corey Harawira-Naera will make his season debut for Canberra Raiders against North Queensland Cowboys, after a drink-driving incident on Christmas Day.
- Named on the Raiders bench, one-test Kiwis hooker Saliva Havili will notch up 100 NRL appearances in a career that started with the Warriors.
Join us at 8:15pm Sunday for live updates of the NZ Warriors v Melbourne Storm ANZAC Day clash
