Second rower Ofahiki Ogden moves within one game of joining the Vodafone Junior Warriors’ NYC 50-game club when he lines up in today’s ninth-round encounter with St George Illawarra at Mount Smart Stadium (9.45am kick-off).
The Mangere East Hawks junior, now in his third season in the competition, missed just two of the side’s 27 matches last year and will be making his ninth straight appearance of the season today.
His second row partner is Marata Niukore – who boasts more than 30 NYC games – but the side will be missing Bunty Afoa, the most experienced player in this year’s squad.
He has been replaced by Kenese Kenese with Joseph Price coming onto the bench.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors are seeking their fourth win of the season after beating Melbourne last week.
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
9.45am, Sunday, May 1
Referee: Adam Cassidy
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 KANE TELEA
2 LEWIS SOOSEMEA
3 MELINO FINEANGANOFO
4 KOLI ONEONE
5 JUNIOR PAUGA
6 ERIN CLARK
7 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA
17 KENESE KENESE
9 SHELDON PITAMA (c)
10 ISAIAH PAPALII
11 OFAHIKI OGDEN
12 MARATA NIUKORE
13 CHRIS SIO
Interchange:
14 JOSEPH VUNA
15 KEANU DAWSON
16 JEROME MAMEA
18 JOSEPH PRICE
COACH | KELVIN WRIGHT
