CANBERRA RAIDERS v VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
GIO Stadium, Canberra
1.45pm, Sunday, August 03
Referees: Chris Sutton and Kasey Badger
Utility Mattais Heimuli will today become the latest 17-year-old to debut for the Vodafone Junior Warriors when they take on Canberra in their 21st-round NYC clash at GIO Stadium (11.45am kick-off local time; 1.45pm NZT).
The Mount Albert Grammar School pupil, who plays for Glenora in Auckland’s Fox Memorial championship, has been confirmed on the interchange bench along with Jazz Tevaga, James Bell and Kouma Samson.
Former Otahuhu College First XIII captain Joseph Price, also getting close ot his NYC debut, has been named 18th man.
In other changes to the team originally named Toafofoa Sipley and Michael Ki come off the bench to start in the second row; Sipley replaces Ken Maumalo, who lined up for the club’s New South Wales Cup side yesterday, while Ki swaps with Tevaga.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors slipped out of the top eight with a disappointing loss to Manly last Sunday; they start today’s match in 10th spot but victory would enable them to overtake Manly and Penrith to reclaim eighth spot.
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 BRAD ABBEY
2 PAUL ULBERG
3 NATHANIEL ROACHE
4 MARATA NIUKORE
5 METIA LISATI
6 MAFOA’AEATA HINGANO
22 SEMISI TYRELL
8 BUNTY AFOA
9 KURT ROBINSON
10 SAM LISONE (c)
16 TOAFOFOA SIPLEY
12 OFAHIKI OGDEN
25 MICHAEL KI
Interchange:
13 JAZZ TEVAGA
15 JAMES BELL
21 MATTAIS HEIMULI
24 KOUMA SAMSON
COACH: STACEY JONES
COVERAGE:
Live coverage starts on SKY Sport 1 at 1.30pm.
