Changes have been made on both wings for the Vodafone Junior Warriors’ 19th-round NYC match against the Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium on Sunday (11.45am kick-off local time, 1.45pm NZT).
Paul Ulberg, who has six tries in 10 games this year, returns from injury on the right wing for what will be his 25th NYC game overall while rookie Lewis Soosemea lines up on the left side for his seventh outing.
The rest of the starting line-up is unchanged from the one used in the 20-24 loss to Melbourne at Mount Smart Stadium last Sunday.
Coach Kelvin Wright has retained Tualima Tualima, last week’s debutant Tyrone Nathan and Koli Oneone on a five-man bench with Amoni Tufui and Mikaere Beattie recalled.
The Roosters handed the Vodafone Junior Warriors a 38-22 loss when the two teams met at Mount Smart Stadium but have lost their last three games since to drop to seventh on the NYC ladder.
Since beating South Sydney in round 13, the Vodafone Warriors have lost to the Roosters, the Raiders and the Storm while beating Gold Coast to sit fifth on 21 points, only a point adrift of the fourth-placed Canberra Raiders.
Bunty Afoa and Brad Abbey will make their 43rd NYC appearances on Sunday. With eight regular season games remaining they're on target to join a group of 12 players who have appeared in 50 or more NYC games for the club. The list is: Ben Henry (64), John Palavi (63), Mason Lino (62), Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard (58), Siliva Havili (57), Ngataua Hukatai (54), Elijah Taylor (52), Nafe Seluini (52), Carlos Tuimavave (51), Omar Slaimankhel (51), Sam Lisone (50) and Siuatonga Likiliki (50).
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Allianz Stadium, Sydney
11.45am, Sunday, July 19
Referees: Jon Stone and Lawrie McDonell
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 TOMAS AOAKE
2 LEWIS SOOSEMEA
3 MARATA NIUKORE
4 SEMISI TYRELL
5 PAUL ULBERG
6 BRAD ABBEY
7 ERIN CLARK
8 BUNTY AFOA
9 CHRIS SIO
10 PAUL TULI
11 OFAHIKI OGDEN
12 MATIU LOVE-HENRY
13 JAZZ TEVAGA
Interchange:
14 MIKAERE BEATTIE
15 TUALIMA TUALIMA
16 AMONI TUFUI
17 TYRONE NATHAN
20 KOLI ONEONE
COACH: KELVIN WRIGHT
