The Vodafone Junior Warriors have defied their traditional form book so far this season by winning more games on the road than they have at home as they stay in touch with the top four in the NYC.
Going into tomorrow’s 20th-round clash against Manly at Mount Smart Stadium (12.40pm kick-off; match day sponsor: Red Bull), they’re sitting fifth on 23 points just a point behind fourth-placed Canberra.
Since the competition started in 2008, the Vodafone Junior Warriors have been dominant at home.
The trend continued at the start of this season when they won each of their first four home games against Parramatta, Brisbane, Wests Tigers and Gold Coast but have since lost four straight to Newcastle, the Sydney Roosters, Canberra and Melbourne.
In contrast, they’ve had five away wins including their last four against Parramatta, South Sydney, Gold Coast and the Sydney Roosters.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors go into tomorrow’s match against the sixth-placed Manly (21 points) without their top try scorer Tomas Aoake, who has been promoted to make his debut for the club’s New South Wales Cup side against the Sea Eagles tomorrow (2.40pm kick-off).
His absence is offset by the return of experienced wing Paul Ulberg from a knee injury. Ulberg has scored six tries in 10 NYC appearances this year as well as four tries in five outings at NSW Cup level.
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v MANLY SEA EAGLES
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
5.00pm, Saturday, July 25
Referees: Peter Gough and Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 BRAD ABBEY
2 LEWIS SOOSEMEA
3 MARATA NIUKORE
4 SEMISI TYRELL
5 PAUL ULBERG
6 MIKAERE BEATTIE
7 ERIN CLARK
8 BUNTY AFOA
9 CASEY LAFAELE
10 PAUL TULI
11 OFAHIKI OGDEN
12 MATIU LOVE-HENRY
13 JAZZ TEVAGA
Interchange:
14 CHRIS SIO
15 KOLI ONEONE
16 TUALIMA TUALIMA
17 TYRONE NATHAN
COACH: KELVIN WRIGHT
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