The New Zealand Warriors have confirmed off-season recruit Samuel Healey is missing this week's NSW Cup clash due to a shoulder complaint, and not for any other reason.
Healey made the switch to Auckland from the Cronulla Sharks ahead of the 2025 NRL season and has played in both of the club's NSW Cup games to date, with the Warriors beating the Canberra Raiders in Canberra and the Manly Sea Eagles at home in the reserve grade competition.
The 22-year-old has been solid at both ends of the park in both games, but excelled against Manly, topping the tackle count with 44 and crossing for a try.
Despite that, he is held out of first-grade for the time being, with the Warriors having Wayde Egan as their starting dummy half, and Freddy Lussick as the man waiting in the wings.
It's unclear if Healey will miss anymore than a single week, with the Warriors Cup outfit to play the Sydney Roosters in an early Friday game this week ahead of the NRL contest, before they travel to Campbelltown next week to clash with the Western Suburbs Magpies.
In the same update, the Warriors also confirmed veteran winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is also still on track with his recovery.
Initially announced as a likely return somewhere between Round 10 and 14, that is the timeline the Warriors are still sticking to as he recovers from a dislocated left wrist sustained in the pre-season challenge match played against the Cronulla Sharks.
The Warriors otherwise have a totally clean bill of health as they prepare to tackle the Sydney Roosters on Friday evening in Auckland.
