Jarrod Tua comes into the starting line-up for the Vodafone Warriors’ fourth-round New South Wales Cup encounter with Wests Tigers at Westpac Stadium in Wellington today (2.40pm kick-off).
The Mount Albert back rower replaces two-game Vodafone Warriors NRL loose forward John Palavi, who was originally named to start in the second row.
Dropping off the interchange bench is Nathaniel Peteru, clearing the way for prop Albert Vete to play his first NSW Cup match this season.
Overcoming an early-season bye will be a challenge for the Vodafone Warriors.
They were just two games into their campaign when they landed their first bye last week.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v WESTS TIGERS
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
2.40pm, Saturday, March 29
Referee: Aaron Donald
FIVE KEY FEATURES
#1 TUIMOALA LOLOHEA | Lolohea had an exceptional outing with the Vodafone Junior Warriors in the NYC last week, scoring three tries and also making another three in a 50-12 win over the Cowboys.
#2 DAVID FUSITUA | Like Lolohea, Fusitua was on fire when he turned out doe the Vodafone Junior Warriors in the NYC against the Cowboys. He scored three tries, made five line breaks and gained 124 metres from nine runs.
#3 ALBERT VETE | After appearing in the club’s NRL trials programme, Vete’s 2014 season proper was stalled by a knee complaint. He now comes into the side for his first NSW Cup of the year, having been used in the grade last year.
#4 CHARLIE GUBB | ‘Gubb City’ – or Charles P Gubb to his friends – returns home to play in front of family and friends. In the visit to Westpac Stadium last year Gubb scored a try in the Vulcans’ loss to Wyong.
#5 JARRED WILSON | Born in Tokoroa, Wilson moved to Wellington as a 17-year-old to play rugby league with the Te Aroha Eels. Picked up by Penrith where he play for the club’s NYC side, he was signed on a NSW Cup contract by the Vodafone Warriors, scoring four tries in the first two games.
THE TEAMS
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 CARLOS TUIMAVAVE
2 JARRED WILSON
3 DOMINIQUE PEYROUX
4 DAVID FUSITUA
5 NGANI LAUMAPE
6 STEVE WAETFORD (c)
7 TUIMOALA LOLOHEA
8 CHARLIE GUBB
9 SILIVA HAVILI
10 UPU POCHING
23 JARROD TUA
12 RAYMOND FAITALA-MARINER
13 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
Interchange:
14 MICHAEL SIO
15 DAVID BHANA
17 ABRAHAM PAPALII
18 ALBERT VETE
COACH | ROHAN SMITH
WESTS TIGERS
1 KURTIS ROWE
20 JY HITCHCOX
19 SETEFANO TAUKAFA
4 NASIPELI FINE
5 TAQELE NAIYARAVARO
6 BLAKE AUSTIN
7 NATHAN WATERS
8 NATHAN BROWN
9 JOEL LUANI
10 MICHAEL BULLOCK
11 BEN MURDOCH-MASILA
12 JARROD FARLOW (c)
13 KYLE LOVVETT
Interchange:
14 SAM HOLLIS
15 JACK BUCHANAN
16 SITALEKI AKAUOLA
17 INNO INOSESIO
COACH: PAUL FLETCHER
TELEVISION COVERAGE
Live on SKY Sport 2, 2.40pm.
