First-year coach Stacey Jones has made a number of changes for the Vodafone Warriors’ first New South Wales Cup encounter of the 2015 season against Newcastle at Hunter Stadium (2.10pm kick-off local time; 4.10pm NZT).
Saula Solomona has been called in to make his New South Wales Cup debut on the wing while Jones has also lost second rower Raymond Faitala-Mariner with a knee injury.
That results in John Palavi coming off the bench to start in the second row while Jones has swapped around two of his other forwards as well. Sebastine Ikahihifo was originally named to start at prop and David Bhana at loose forward but they now go to the bench with Upu Poching coming into the front row and James Bell in the back row. Also coming onto the bench is Willie Peace.
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS v VODAFONE WARRIORS
Hunter Stadium, Newcastle
2.10pm, Saturday, March 07
Referee: Liam Nicholls
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 VILIAMI KAVEINGA
22 SAULA SOLOMONA
3 MATTHEW ALLWOOD
4 DOMINIQUE PEYROUX
5 JARROD TUA
6 API PEWHAIRANGI
7 SAM COOK
8 NATHANIEL PETERU
9 ZAC TIPPINS
15 UPU POCHING
17 JOHN PALAVI
12 SIONE LOUSI
14 JAMES BELL
Interchange:
10 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
13 DAVID BHANA
16 STEDMAN LEFAU
21 WILLIE PEACE
COACH: STACEY JONES
