Five forwards with NRL experience feature in the Vodafone Warriors’ line-up for their 19th-round New South Wales Cup match against the Wyong Roos on Sunday (3.00pm kick-off local time).
Returning to the side from NRL duty last week are front rowers Charlie-Paul Gubb and Sam Lousi who’ll join Sione Lousi, Siliva Havili and John Palavi.
All five have made NRL appearances this season, Havili with six, Gubb and Sione Lousi five each – Lousi now with 36 overall – Palavi two and Sam Lousi with one after make his NRL return against Parramatta last week after a two-year absence.
Regular second rower Raymond Faitala-Mariner also slots back into the side after being the NRL squad’s 18th man last week.
Missing from last week’s starting pack is Agnatius Paasi who has been promoted to make his NRL debut against Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
Of the other run-on forwards used in the 30-6 win against Wentworthville only Havili at hooker and Palavi at loose forward remain in the same roles this week with props Upu Poching and Albert Vete plus second rower Michael Sio all moving to the interchange bench alongside back rower David Bhana.
The backline named originally was the same as the one used in the impressive display against Wentworthville but a change is set with centre Solomone Kata – a triple try-scorer last week – travelling to Brisbane as cover with the NRL squad.
The Vodafone Warriors and Wyong met just four weeks ago, the Roos eking out a 12-8 victory at Mount Smart Stadium.
The Vodafone Warriors’ win last week has them running fifth in the competition.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v WYONG ROOS
Morry Breen Oval, Wyong
3.00pm, Sunday, July 20
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 STEVE WAETFORD (c)
2 NGATAUA HUKATAI
3 SOLOMONE KATA
4 DOMINIQUE PEYROUX
5 JARROD TUA
6 CARLOS TUIMAVAVE
7 SAM COOK
8 SAM LOUSI
9 SILIVA HAVILI
10 CHARLIE-PAUL GUBB
11 SIONE LOUSI
12 RAYMOND FAITALA-MARINER
13 JOHN PALAVI
Interchange:
14 MICHAEL SIO
15 ALBERT VETE
16 DAVID BHANA
17 UPU POCHING
COACH: ROHAN SMITH
