Through a quirk in the draw the Vodafone Warriors and Illawarra go head-to-head for the second time in a week when they meet in Saturday’s 19th-round New South Wales Cup match at WIN Stadium in Wollongong (3.00pm kick-off local time; 5.00pm NZT).
The Vodafone Warriors will seek back-to-back victories to retain a share of first spot on the ladder after their impressive 38-22 comeback win over the Cutters at Mount Smart Stadium last Sunday.
With competition leader Penrith losing, the Vodafone Warriors’ win lifted them to a share of top place with the Panthers on 26 points.
For the return clash, coach Stacey Jones has been forced to make some more changes.
Of his original selection for last Sunday’s encounter he lost wing Jonathan Wright and back rower Sione Lousi, who were both called into the club’s NRL side to take on Melbourne.
Jones won’t have those players again this week while veteran prop Sam Rapira has also gone up after being included on a five-man bench for the first-grade side’s match against the Sydney Roosters on Sunday.
The Vodafone Warriors take a 10-5 win-loss record into Saturday’s match.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v ILLAWARRA CUTTERS
WIN Stadium, Wollongong
3.00pm, Saturday, July 18
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 GLEN FISIIAHI
2 KEN MAUMALO
3 MATTHEW ALLWOOD
4 DOMINIQUE PEYROUX
5 VILIAMI KAVEINGA
6 ATA HINGANO
7 MASON LINO
8 UPU POCHING
9 NATHANIEL ROACHE
10 SAM LISONE
11 JOHN PALAVI (c)
12 DAVID BHANA
13 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
Interchange:
14 JAMES BELL
15 DANIEL PALAVI
16 PAKI AFU
17 ZAC TIPPINS
COACH: STACEY JONES
