Winger Ngani Laumape will make his NRL debut and Ben Henry returns for his first first-grade outing of the season in todays battle with Cronulla at Sharks Stadium (2.00pm kick-off; 4.00pm NZ time). Photo: Photosport.
Laumape, still eligible for the Vodafone Junior Warriors, comes in for Glen Fisiiahi, who has stayed in Auckland to be with his family following his sisters death.
A former Palmerston North Boys High School pupil, Laumape played First XV rugby union for the school and also made the New Zealand Secondary Schools side before being signed by the Vodafone Warriors.
He was an NYC regular last year but spent the offseason training with the NRL squad before turning out for the Auckland Vulcans in the first two rounds of this years New South Wales Cup.
Apart from losing Fisiiahi, the Vodafone Warriors will also be without frontline prop Sam Rapira, sidelined with a hand injury. In his absence, younger brother Steve, named in the second row, will start at prop with Ben Henry returning from an ankle injury to partner Simon Mannering in the second row.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v CRONULLA SHARKS
Sharks Stadium, Cronulla
2.00pm, Sunday, March 24
Referees: Adam Devcich and Henry Perenara
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 KEVIN LOCKE
21 NGANI LAUMAPE
3 DANE NIELSEN
4 KONRAD HURRELL
5 BILL TUPOU
6 THOMAS LEULUAI
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
11 STEVE RAPIRA
9 ELIJAH TAYLOR
10 BEN MATULINO
18 BEN HENRY
12 SIMON MANNERING (c)
13 TODD LOWRIE
Interchange:
14 JACOB LILLYMAN
15 FELETI MATEO
16 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
17 PITA GODINET
HEAD COACH: MATTHEW ELLIOTT
Laumape, still eligible for the Vodafone Junior Warriors, comes in for Glen Fisiiahi, who has stayed in Auckland to be with his family following his sisters death.
A former Palmerston North Boys High School pupil, Laumape played First XV rugby union for the school and also made the New Zealand Secondary Schools side before being signed by the Vodafone Warriors.
He was an NYC regular last year but spent the offseason training with the NRL squad before turning out for the Auckland Vulcans in the first two rounds of this years New South Wales Cup.
Apart from losing Fisiiahi, the Vodafone Warriors will also be without frontline prop Sam Rapira, sidelined with a hand injury. In his absence, younger brother Steve, named in the second row, will start at prop with Ben Henry returning from an ankle injury to partner Simon Mannering in the second row.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v CRONULLA SHARKS
Sharks Stadium, Cronulla
2.00pm, Sunday, March 24
Referees: Adam Devcich and Henry Perenara
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 KEVIN LOCKE
21 NGANI LAUMAPE
3 DANE NIELSEN
4 KONRAD HURRELL
5 BILL TUPOU
6 THOMAS LEULUAI
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
11 STEVE RAPIRA
9 ELIJAH TAYLOR
10 BEN MATULINO
18 BEN HENRY
12 SIMON MANNERING (c)
13 TODD LOWRIE
Interchange:
14 JACOB LILLYMAN
15 FELETI MATEO
16 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
17 PITA GODINET
HEAD COACH: MATTHEW ELLIOTT
