The Vodafone Warriors come face-to-face with Canterbury-Bankstown in New South Wales Cup finals football tonight for the first time since the 2011 grand final at ANZ Stadium.
Then known as the Auckland Vulcans, they were in front 28-26 inside the last minute when the Bulldogs worked the ball around frantically for current Vodafone Warrior Jonathan Wright to leave them devastated with the winning try as the siren sounded.
Four years on the Vodafone Warriors have two survivors from that side for tonight’s sudden-death play-off against the Bulldogs at Jubilee Oval. Sione Lousi was in the centres in 2011 but will start in the second row tonight after originally being named in the front row. The other player still in the side is prop Upu Poching, on the bench as he was in 2011.
Coach Stacey Jones has made several changes with former Vodafone Warrior Malo Solomona coming into the centres and another ex-Vodafone Warrior Tevita Latu brought in on the bench. They both helped the Point Chevalier Pirates to their third consecutive Fox Memorial title in the Auckland club competition’s grand final last weekend.
They bring to 59 the total number of players the Vodafone Warriors have used this season.
Daniel Palavi, originally named as the 18th man, starts at prop, loose forward David Bhana moves into the starting hooker’s role and captain John Palavi takes Bhana’s position.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Jubilee Oval, Sydney
6.10pm, Sunday, September 13
Referee: Liam Nicholls
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 VILIAMI KAVEINGA
2 SAULA SOLOMONA
3 MATT ALLWOOD
21 MALO SOLOMONA
5 KEN MAUMALO
6 ATA HINGANO
7 MASON LINO
8 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
13 DAVID BHANA
18 DANIEL PALAVI
10 SIONE LOUSI
12 RAYMOND FAITALA-MARINER
11 JOHN PALAVI (c)
Interchange:
15 JAMES BELL
16 UPU POCHING
17 PAKI AFU
22 TEVITA LATU
COACH | STACEY JONES
