More reinforcements return for the Vodafone Warriors’ first New South Wales Cup home game of the season when they meet Wentworthville at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday (2.45pm kick-off).
Last week first-year coach Stacey Jones was able to call on hooker Siliva Havili and back rower Raymond Faitala-Mariner – both returning from injury – while retired ex-Wigan centre George Carmont made a shock comeback.
This week prop Charlie Gubb, initially named last week before being scratched, definitely makes his return from a foot injury while back rower James Bell is back in the side after a one-match suspension.
The inclusion of Gubb gives the Vodafone Warriors a total of nine players with NRL experience – Gubb, Carmont, Havili, centre George Carmont, standoff Api Pewhairangi, front rowers Suaia Matagi and Sebastine Ikahihifo, second rower Sione Lousi and loose forward John Palavi.
Jones and his players were disappointed with their performance against Canterbury-Bankstown last Saturday when a halftime lead of 12-8 and later an 18-14 advantage was conceded with the Bulldogs coming through to win 26-18.
In Wentworthville they face a side which has started the season with two straight losses – 16-30 to North Sydney and 18-31 last weekend to Wests Tigers.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v WENTWORTHVILLE
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
2.45pm, Saturday, March 21
Referee: Aaron Donald
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 VILIAMI KAVEINGA
2 SAULA SOLOMONA
3 GEORGE CARMONT
4 DOMINIQUE PEYROUX
5 JARROD TUA
6 API PEWHAIRANGI
7 SAM COOK
8 SUAIA MATAGI
9 SILIVA HAVILI
10 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
11 RAYMOND FAITALA-MARINER
12 SIONE LOUSI
13 JOHN PALAVI (c)
Interchange:
14 DAVID BHANA
15 CHARLIE GUBB
16 NATHANIEL PETERU
17 JAMES BELL
18 STEDMAN LEFAU
COACH: STACEY JONES
