Vodafone Warriors head coach Andrew McFadden has reshaped his starting forward pack for today’s ninth-round NRL encounter with Canberra at Eden Park (5.00pm kick-off).
Veteran prop Sam Rapira has been ruled out with a back injury, resulting in Toa Samoa international Suaia Matagi starting in the front row.
There are also changes in the back row with captain Simon Mannering moving to the middle playing at loose forward, Ben Matulino coming into the second row and Sebastine Ikahihifo shifting to the bench.
Matulino’s last outing in McFadden’s first game as coach was at Eden Park on April 13 when he was also used as a second rower operating on the left edge against the Bulldogs. He has missed the last two matches through suspension.
The backline is as selected while the interchange comprises Ikahihifo, Feleti Mateo, Sione Lousi and Kevin Locke. Locke is playing his 88th match and his first in the NRL this season.
The Vodafone Warriors need six points today to bring up 10,000 points in the club's history; this is the 475th game in what is the Vodafone Warriors' 20th season.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v CANBERRA RAIDERS
Eden Park, Auckland
5.00pm, Saturday, May 10
Referees: Gavin Morris and Henry Perenara
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 SAM TOMKINS
2 NGANI LAUMAPE
3 KONRAD HURRELL
4 BEN HENRY
5 MANU VATUVEI
6 CHAD TOWNSEND
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
15 SUAIA MATAGI
9 NATHAN FRIEND
10 JACOB LILLYMAN
11 JAYSON BUKUYA
17 BEN MATULINO
12 SIMON MANNERING (c)
Interchange:
13 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
14 FELETI MATEO
16 SIONE LOUSI
18 KEVIN LOCKE
HEAD COACH: ANDREW McFADDEN
BETTING – WWW.TAB.CO.NZ
FIND ODDS FOR VODAFONE WARRIORS v CANBERRA
Head to head odds – Vodafone Warriors $1.47 v Canberra Raiders $2.55
TV COVERAGE
SKY SPORT 2: Live at 5.00pm NZT.
