Eden Park was the place to be for rugby league fans at the NRL Nines a month ago and now it’s back on the scene again for the real deal 13-a-side version of the game.
The Vodafone Warriors meet St George Illawarra on Saturday (5.05pm kick-off) in the first of three home games at the stadium.
It follows one-off games in 2011 (Parramatta), 2012 (Manly) and 2013 (Sydney Roosters) which drew the three biggest home crowds in the Vodafone Warriors’ history.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Eden Park, Auckland
5.05pm, Saturday, March 15
Referees: Jared Maxwell and Grant Atkins
FIVE KEY FEATURES
#1 JEROME ROPATI: No player deserves a better run of luck than Ropati as he lines up for his first game in his 12th season in the NRL. Injuries have ruined his last three seasons. After featuring in trials against Wigan and Brisbane, he comes into the centres on the right edge for what will be his 143rd career appearance.
#2 BEN HENRY: Like Ropati, he had a wretched 2013 when he was sidelined for most of the year following knee surgery. He made his comeback for the Vodafone Warriors in the New South Wales Cup last Saturday, playing at standoff and scoring a try against Wentworthville. He has been named on the bench.
#3 SAM RAPIRA, BEN MATULINO, JACOB LILLYMAN AND SUAIA MATAGI: United in their mission to get the team rolling forward from the outset against the Dragons. Matulino (126 metres from 15 runs) and Lillyman (123 metres from 15 runs) had plenty of work with the ball against Parramatta while Rapira and Matagi had a much heavier defensive workload making 28 tackles each with only three misses between them.
#4 NATHAN FRIEND: Started 2014 where he left off in 2013 shouldering plenty of the tackling duties against the Eels. He was right up to his average with 46 in all. Played the full 80 minutes and handled the ball more than any other player on the field with 93 receives.
#5 FELETI MATEO: His involvement in the game will be a key to the Vodafone Warriors’ fortunes. Mateo will again be injected into the game from the bench looking to spark his side up later in the first half.
TEAMS
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 SAM TOMKINS
2 GLEN FISIIAHI
3 DANE NIELSEN
4 JEROME ROPATI
5 MANU VATUVEI
6 CHAD TOWNSEND
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
8 SAM RAPIRA
9 NATHAN FRIEND
10 BEN MATULINO
11 JAYSON BUKUYA
12 SIMON MANNERING (c)
13 JOHN PALAVI
Interchange:
14 JACOB LILLYMAN
15 SUAIA MATAGI
16 BEN HENRY
17 FELETI MATEO
20 SIONE LOUSI
HEAD COACH: MATTHEW ELLIOTT
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA
1 ADAM QUINLAN
2 BRETT MORRIS
3 DYLAN FARRELL
4 GERARD BEALE
5 JASON NIGHTINGALE
6 GARETH WIDDOP
7 SAM WILLIAMS
8 TYSON FRIZELL
9 MITCH REIN
10 DAN HUNT
11 LEESON AH MAU
12 BEN CREAGH (c)
13 TRENT MERRIN
Interchange:
14 BRONSON HARRISON
15 KYLE STANLEY
16 JOEL THOMPSON
17 MIKE COOPER
COACH: STEVE PRICE
BETTING – WWW.TAB.CO.NZ
FIND ODDS FOR VODAFONE WARRIORS v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA
Head to head:
Vodafone Warriors $1.30 v Dragons $3.30
TV COVERAGE
SKY SPORT 2: Coverage starts at 4.30pm, kick-off 5.05pm.
