Back rower Jayson Bukuya is set to make his first New South Wales Cup appearance for the Vodafone Warriors when they face the Mounties in their 21st-round clash at Aubrey Keech Reserve in Sydney on Saturday (3.00pm kick-off local time; 5.00pm NZT).
After 14 NRL games for the club so far this season, Bukuya has been named in the second row alongside Raymond Faitala-Mariner.
He comes in for Sione Lousi who has been named on an extended bench for the NRL side this week.
In other changes, winger Jarrod Tua has been moved into the centres replacing the injured Solomone Kata (hamstring) while David Fusitu’a, originally named to face Manly in the NSW Cup last week, has been cleared from a groin injury to start on the wing.
Sam Cook will start at halfback, Agnatius Paasi moves to prop to replace Albert Vete (ribs) and John Palavi returns to loose forward after being 18th man for the NRL side last week.
Coach Rohan Smith has named a five-man bench comprising Abraham Papalii, Sam Lousi, David Bhana, Michael Sio and Upu Poching.
There’s little between Saturday’s protagonists on the NSW Cup ladder; the Vodafone Warriors are fifth on 27 points with Canberra’s feeder club sixth on 26.
The Vodafone Warriors have won their last three matches to maintain a push for a top four spot.
The Mounties include former Vodafone Warriors winger Bill Tupou and ex-Junior Kiwi Matt McIlwrick.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v MOUNTIES
Aubrey Keech Reserve, Sydney
3.00pm, Saturday, August 3
Referee: Chris Treneman
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 STEVE WAETFORD (c)
2 NGATAUA HUKATAI
3 JARROD TUA
4 DOMINIQUE PEYROUX
5 DAVID FUSITU’A
6 CARLOS TUIMAVAVE
7 SAM COOK
8 AGNATIUS PAASI
9 SILIVA HAVILI
10 CHARLIE-PAUL GUBB
11 RAYMOND FAITALA-MARINER
12 JAYSON BUKUYA
13 JOHN PALAVI
Interchange:
14 ABRAHAM PAPALII
15 SAM LOUSI
16 DAVID BHANA
17 MICHAEL SIO
18 UPU POCHING
COACH: ROHAN SMITH
COVERAGE | Radio Coverage courtesy of 2GLF FM 89.3 (link available via 893fm.com.au).
