The Vodafone Warriors’ New South Wales Cup side bears limited resemblance to the line-up coach Rohan Smith named on Tuesday for their fifth-round New South Wales Cup clash against Cronulla at Remondis Stadium today (2.40pm kick-off).
Of the original side fullback Carlos Tuimavave and winger Jarred Wilson are both out with injury which has led to a major reshuffle of the side.
Captain Steve Waetford moves from standoff to fullback, David Fusitua now starts on the wing instead of in the centres, Dominique Peyroux comes out of the back row to run in the centres and Point Chevalier playmaker Jonathan Carl is called up to fill the standoff’s job.
With Peyroux out of the pack, Michael Sio is off the bench to start in the second row and former Vodafone Warriors NRL squad member Herman Retzlaff comes onto a bench packed with front rowers, the others being the originally named Sam Lisone, Albert Vete and Malo Solomona.
CRONULLA SHARKS v VODAFONE WARRIORS
Remondis Stadium, Cronulla
12.40pm (2.40pm NZT), Saturday, April 5
Referee: Daniel Olford
FIVE KEY FEATURES
#1 STEVE WAETFORD | Waetford continues to yo-yo between fullback and standoff. With Carlos Tuimavave out he switches to fullback today. He will be a key as the Vodafone Warriors seek their first win of the season.
#2 DOMINIQUE PEYROUX | Like Waetford, Peyroux has been used in two roles and today finds himself back in the centres due injuries. Scored a try last week which helped the Vodafone Warriors to what looked like being a match-winning lead at the time.
#3 JOHN PALAVI | After sitting out the action as the NRL side’s 18th man in Wellington last week, Palavi will welcome the opportunity to be back on the field today. He faces a tough day out with the side thin on back row resources.
#4 SAM LISONE | After a series of outstanding displays for the NYC team, Lisone has earned a return to New South Wales Cup football today. He topped 230 metres for the Vodafone Junior Warriors against the Tigers.
#5 DAVID BHANA | Along with Palavi and Michael Sio, Bhana is in for plenty of work today give the look of the side’s bench which shows four front rowers. He has been doing time from the bench but is now in the frontline.
THE TEAMS
VODAFONE WARRIORS
6 STEVE WAETFORD (c)
5 NGANI LAUMAPE
12 DOMINIQUE PEYROUX
3 JARROD TUA
4 DAVID FUSITUA
23 JONATHAN CARL
7 TUIMOALA LOLOHEA
8 CHARLIE GUBB
9 SILIVA HAVILI
10 UPU POCHING
11 JOHN PALAVI
14 MICHAEL SIO
13 DAVID BHANA
Interchange
15 SAM LISONE
16 ALBERT VETE
17 NATHANIEL PETERU
20 HERMAN RETZLAFF
COACH | ROHAN SMITH
TELEVISION COVERAGE
Live on SKY Sport 2, 2.40pm.
