Grand final-winning back rower Todd Lowrie makes his comeback from injury for the Vodafone Warriors in tonights 14th-round NRL clash against the Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium (6.30pm kick-off local time; 8.30pm NZT).
The 29-year-old ex-Melbourne veteran was a fixture for the first 10 rounds but has been sidelined the past three weeks with a rib injury.
He comes onto the interchange tonight alongside regular bench props Ben Matulino and Jacob Lillyman as well as utility Dominique Peyroux, wholl make his third straight appearance after making his club debut against Brisbane on June 3.
Missing from the squad named on Tuesday are fullback Kevin Locke, back rower Sebastine Ikahihifo and prop Suaia Matagi. Locke is still troubled by a hip flexor injury while Ikahihifo and Matagi both turned out for the Auckland Vulcans when they beat Windsor 20-14 in the New South Wales Cup yesterday, registering their fourth straight success.
Front rower Charlie Gubb travelled with the side as 18th man.
In the Roosters, they face the third-placed team in the competition, sitting on 20 points with nine wins and just three losses so far. Significantly they also boast the competitions best defensive record so far, conceding just 144 points in their 12 games.
While the Vodafone Warriors have enjoyed success at Allianz Stadium previously its four years since they last beat the Roosters there, winning 30-24 in 2009.
The match has special significance for head coach Matthew Elliott who will be guiding an NRL side for the 250th time in his career following 236 games with Canberra and Penrith having earlier guided the Bradford Bulls in 125 games in England from 1997-2000.
When the two sides met in the second round at Eden Park, the Roosters held out the fast-finishing Vodafone Warriors for a 16-14 win.
While the Vodafone Warriors have scored 102 points in their last three wins the first run of three wins since July 2011 the defensive numbers have been the most rewarding. In conceding just 46 points theyve restricted Newcastle, Brisbane and Manly to 18 points or less, a feat they had achieved only once in the first 10 games (against the Roosters as it happens).
Across 15 seasons including four with Bradford in England (1997-2000), Elliott has had 374 games a head coach for a record reading: 206 wins, 7 draws, 161 losses. His winning strike rate is 55.08%.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Allianz Stadium, Randwick
6.30pm, Sunday, June 16
Referees: Ashley Klein and Chris James
VODAFONE WARRIORS
2GLEN FISIIAHI
18NGANI LAUMAPE
3DANE NIELSEN
4KONRAD HURRELL
5MANU VATUVEI
6THOMAS LEULUAI
7SHAUN JOHNSON
8SAM RAPIRA
9NATHAN FRIEND
10RUSSELL PACKER
11FELETI MATEO
12SIMON MANNERING (c)
13ELIJAH TAYLOR
Interchange:
14BEN MATULINO
15JACOB LILLYMAN
17DOMINIQUE PEYROUX
21TODD LOWRIE
HEAD COACH: MATTHEW ELLIOTT
The 29-year-old ex-Melbourne veteran was a fixture for the first 10 rounds but has been sidelined the past three weeks with a rib injury.
He comes onto the interchange tonight alongside regular bench props Ben Matulino and Jacob Lillyman as well as utility Dominique Peyroux, wholl make his third straight appearance after making his club debut against Brisbane on June 3.
Missing from the squad named on Tuesday are fullback Kevin Locke, back rower Sebastine Ikahihifo and prop Suaia Matagi. Locke is still troubled by a hip flexor injury while Ikahihifo and Matagi both turned out for the Auckland Vulcans when they beat Windsor 20-14 in the New South Wales Cup yesterday, registering their fourth straight success.
Front rower Charlie Gubb travelled with the side as 18th man.
In the Roosters, they face the third-placed team in the competition, sitting on 20 points with nine wins and just three losses so far. Significantly they also boast the competitions best defensive record so far, conceding just 144 points in their 12 games.
While the Vodafone Warriors have enjoyed success at Allianz Stadium previously its four years since they last beat the Roosters there, winning 30-24 in 2009.
The match has special significance for head coach Matthew Elliott who will be guiding an NRL side for the 250th time in his career following 236 games with Canberra and Penrith having earlier guided the Bradford Bulls in 125 games in England from 1997-2000.
When the two sides met in the second round at Eden Park, the Roosters held out the fast-finishing Vodafone Warriors for a 16-14 win.
While the Vodafone Warriors have scored 102 points in their last three wins the first run of three wins since July 2011 the defensive numbers have been the most rewarding. In conceding just 46 points theyve restricted Newcastle, Brisbane and Manly to 18 points or less, a feat they had achieved only once in the first 10 games (against the Roosters as it happens).
Across 15 seasons including four with Bradford in England (1997-2000), Elliott has had 374 games a head coach for a record reading: 206 wins, 7 draws, 161 losses. His winning strike rate is 55.08%.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Allianz Stadium, Randwick
6.30pm, Sunday, June 16
Referees: Ashley Klein and Chris James
VODAFONE WARRIORS
2GLEN FISIIAHI
18NGANI LAUMAPE
3DANE NIELSEN
4KONRAD HURRELL
5MANU VATUVEI
6THOMAS LEULUAI
7SHAUN JOHNSON
8SAM RAPIRA
9NATHAN FRIEND
10RUSSELL PACKER
11FELETI MATEO
12SIMON MANNERING (c)
13ELIJAH TAYLOR
Interchange:
14BEN MATULINO
15JACOB LILLYMAN
17DOMINIQUE PEYROUX
21TODD LOWRIE
HEAD COACH: MATTHEW ELLIOTT
