Vodafone Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei (pictured) is reunited with Jerome Ropati on the left edge today for the first time since last April. Photo: Photosport.
The Vodafone Warriors will take the field as selected for todays eighth-round NRL match against the Gold Coast Titans at Mount Smart Stadium on (2.00pm kick-off; match day sponsor: DEWALT).
Captain Simon Mannering and winger Manu Vatuvei both return after last turning out in the Vodafone Warriors 16-20 loss to Canberra on April 13.
Starting in the centres for the first time this season is Ben Henry. Hes familiar with the role after making the vast majority of his 24 appearances last year in the centres.
Hell line up on the right edge with Bill Tupou while Jerome Ropati are reunited on the left edge for the first time since the away match against Canberra in April last year. Before having his season ended by injury a few weeks later, Ropati lined up at fullback.
Mannering (26), fourth on the clubs all-time list with 171 NRL appearances, has been sidelined with a calf injury which prevented him leading the Kiwis in the Anzac Test on April 19 as well as last Thursdays Anzac Day 18-28 loss to the Melbourne Storm.
Vatuvei (27) missed the Melbourne trip with a sternum complaint but has now recovered for his 156th career match this weekend.
In his last outing against the Raiders, he scored two tries to lift his club record total to 104 tries.
For just the second time since early June last year, the Vodafone Warriors will have their four 100-game plus props Sam Rapira, Russell Packer, Ben Matulino and Jacob Lillyman operating as a unit.
Utility Elijah Taylor has his first game at home after bringing up his 50-game milestone in Melbourne while second rower Feleti Mateo, wholl make his 60th consecutive appearance for the club, will move within two games of playing his 150th career game. Lillyman will play his 146th match and his 84th for the Vodafone Warrioirs.
In the last four meetings between them, the Vodafone Warriors have beaten the Titans each time winning 34-14 in Robina and 22-6 in Auckland in 2011 while prevailing 26-6 at home and 32-14 away in last years two encounters.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v GOLD COAST TITANS
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
2.00pm, Sunday, May 05
Referees: Jason Robinson and Gavin Reynolds
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1KEVIN LOCKE
2BILL TUPOU
3JEROME ROPATI
4BEN HENRY
5MANU VATUVEI
6THOMAS LEULUAI
7SHAUN JOHNSON
8SAM RAPIRA
9NATHAN FRIEND
10RUSSELL PACKER
11FELETI MATEO
12SIMON MANNERING (c)
13TODD LOWRIE
Interchange:
14BEN MATULINO
15JACOB LILLYMAN
16ELIJAH TAYLOR
17PITA GODINET
HEAD COACH: MATTHEW ELLIOTT
The Vodafone Warriors will take the field as selected for todays eighth-round NRL match against the Gold Coast Titans at Mount Smart Stadium on (2.00pm kick-off; match day sponsor: DEWALT).
Captain Simon Mannering and winger Manu Vatuvei both return after last turning out in the Vodafone Warriors 16-20 loss to Canberra on April 13.
Starting in the centres for the first time this season is Ben Henry. Hes familiar with the role after making the vast majority of his 24 appearances last year in the centres.
Hell line up on the right edge with Bill Tupou while Jerome Ropati are reunited on the left edge for the first time since the away match against Canberra in April last year. Before having his season ended by injury a few weeks later, Ropati lined up at fullback.
Mannering (26), fourth on the clubs all-time list with 171 NRL appearances, has been sidelined with a calf injury which prevented him leading the Kiwis in the Anzac Test on April 19 as well as last Thursdays Anzac Day 18-28 loss to the Melbourne Storm.
Vatuvei (27) missed the Melbourne trip with a sternum complaint but has now recovered for his 156th career match this weekend.
In his last outing against the Raiders, he scored two tries to lift his club record total to 104 tries.
For just the second time since early June last year, the Vodafone Warriors will have their four 100-game plus props Sam Rapira, Russell Packer, Ben Matulino and Jacob Lillyman operating as a unit.
Utility Elijah Taylor has his first game at home after bringing up his 50-game milestone in Melbourne while second rower Feleti Mateo, wholl make his 60th consecutive appearance for the club, will move within two games of playing his 150th career game. Lillyman will play his 146th match and his 84th for the Vodafone Warrioirs.
In the last four meetings between them, the Vodafone Warriors have beaten the Titans each time winning 34-14 in Robina and 22-6 in Auckland in 2011 while prevailing 26-6 at home and 32-14 away in last years two encounters.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v GOLD COAST TITANS
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
2.00pm, Sunday, May 05
Referees: Jason Robinson and Gavin Reynolds
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1KEVIN LOCKE
2BILL TUPOU
3JEROME ROPATI
4BEN HENRY
5MANU VATUVEI
6THOMAS LEULUAI
7SHAUN JOHNSON
8SAM RAPIRA
9NATHAN FRIEND
10RUSSELL PACKER
11FELETI MATEO
12SIMON MANNERING (c)
13TODD LOWRIE
Interchange:
14BEN MATULINO
15JACOB LILLYMAN
16ELIJAH TAYLOR
17PITA GODINET
HEAD COACH: MATTHEW ELLIOTT
