Sydney’s Belmore Sports Ground will herald a big moment in the Vodafone Warriors’ history this afternoon when the club fields a team in the New South Wales Cup competition for the first time.
The Vodafone Warriors will face the Wentworthville Magpies in a match due to kick off at 2.00pm NZT (12.00pm local time).
Included in the Wentworthville side are Chris Sandow at halfback and ex-Vodafone Warriors NRL squad member Liam Foran at hooker.
WENTWORTHVILLE MAGPIES V VODAFONE WARRIORS
Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney
12.00pm, Saturday, March 08
Referee: Adam Gee
FIVE KEY FEATURES
#1 TEAM KIT: New team, new look … the Vodafone Warriors air the colours for the club’s New South Wales Cup side for the first time today. This is the start of a brave new world for the Vodafone Warriors as they field three teams of their own for the first time giving the club a natural development pathway from the NYC through to the New South Wales Cup and the NRL. Signed fulltime to coach the side is Rohan Smith, son of long-time top level coach Brian Smith.
#2 BEN HENRY: The former Vodafone Junior Warriors captain makes his return to the field after missing most of the 2013 season with a serious knee injury. He has been named at standoff, giving him the chance to be more heavily involved in the play as he seeks to get some serious game time as he continues his recovery.
#3 KONRAD HURRELL AND NGANI LAUMAPE: Used extensively at NRL level last season, Hurrell and Laumape start the club’s 2014 season paired together in the centres for the new Vodafone Warriors New South Wales Cup side. The Tongan torpedoes will provide a dual power-packed attacking threat on each side of the field. They’ll be out to push their selection case for a return to the NRL.
#4 DAVID FUSITUA, TUIMOALA LOLOHEA AND SAM LISONE: They’re all still eligible to play in the NYC but have been moved up a notch to aid their long-term – or maybe even short-term – development into NRL-ready players. They all featured for the Vodafone Junior Warriors in last year’s grand final against Penrith with Lolohea and Lisone playing all 28 matches during the season.
#5 STEVE WAETFORD, JARROD WILSON, MICHAEL SIO, AGNATIUS PAASI AND ABRAHAM PAPALII: The form of these five players will be of key interest as they’re with the Vodafone Warriors on NSW Cup contracts only. Their games will have the chance to flourish as they play alongside players from the NRL squad and also some of the most promising prospects from the NYC group.
RADIO COMMENTARY
Steelesports.com.au is streaming live commentary of the game from 2.00pm NZT. CLICK HERE for the coverage.
THE TEAMS
WENTWORTHVILLE MAGPIES:
1 JUSTIN HUNT
2 KEN SIO 3 RYAN MORGAN
4 API PEWHAIRAINGI
5 BURETA FARAIMO
6 TOBY EVANS
7 CHRIS SANDOW
26 TANIELA LASALO
9 LIAM FORAN
10 DANIEL ALVARO
11 JOSEPH UALESI
12 DANIEL HARRISON
13 LORENZO MA’AFU
Interchange
14 BEN JONES
15 BRENDAN SANTI
16 PAT MATAELE
18 JOSEPH MATAPUKU
COACH | BRETT COOK
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 STEVE WAETFORD (c)
2 DAVID FUSITUA
3 KONRAD HURRELL
4 NGANI LAUMAPE
5 JARROD WILSON
6 BEN HENRY
7 TUIMOALA LOLOHEA
8 SAM LISONE
9 MICHAEL SIO
10 CHARLES P GUBB
11 RAYMOND FAITALA-MARINER
12 AGNATIUS PAASI
13 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
Interchange
14 SILIVA HAVILI
15 UPU POCHING
16 DAVID BHANA
17 ABRAHAM PAPALII
18 JARROD TUA
COACH | ROHAN SMITH
