Front rowers Ligi Sao and Toafofoa Sipley return from injury to bolster the Vodafone Warriors’ resources for their 19th-round Intrust Super Premiership encounter with Manly at Brookvale Oval on Sunday (1.00pm kick-off local time; 3.00pm NZT).
The 21-year-old Sipley made his second NRL appearance in the Vodafone Warriors’ 12-10 win over the Sydney Roosters on June 19, again providing impact from the bench.
Sao's comeback from a patella injury coincides with an outing against his old Manly side. He has made two NRL appearances for the Vodafone Warriors since returning home from three seasons at Manly.
Sipley is named to start in the front row with veteran ISP-New South Wales Cup forward Upu Poching alongside 2016 NRL rookie hooker Nathaniel Roache.
Sao is on a bench including Ali Lauitiiti, John Palavi, James Bell and Patrick Sipley.
Two changes have been made in the backline with former Vodafone Junior Warriors centre Semisi Tyrell replacing last week’s debutant Junior Pauga who will turn out for the club’s NYC side in Sunday’s curtain raiser at Brookvale Oval. The other change is in the halves with Erin Clark named at standoff for Ata Hingano, who is sidelined for three weeks with a leg injury.
The Vodafone Warriors are third on points for and against heading into this contest against the 11th-placed Sea Eagles. Former Vodafone Warriors Isaac John, Pita Godinet and Feleti Mateo are listed in Manly’s side.
Coming out of the bye round after three straight wins, the Vodafone Junior Warriors have some changes from the side that beat the Titans last time out.
Preston Riki has been named to debut on the wing, replacing Lewis Soosemea who will again play for the ISP side this week, while Tyler Mohi starts at standoff for the injured Chanel Harris-Tavita.
Jerome Mamea is named to start in the second row for Marata Niukore while Junior Kiwi prop Isaiah Papalii, so impressive earlier in the season, is included on the bench after being back in rugby union playing for table-topping Mount Albert Grammar School in the Auckland First XV competition. Also back from rugby union duty is Auckland Grammar School’s Melino Fineanganofo, who was in the NYC squad earlier in the campaign.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v MANLY SEA EAGLES
Brookvale Oval, Sydney
1.00pm, Sunday, July 17
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
2 VILIAMI KAVEINGA
3 SEMISI TYRELL
4 MATT ALLWOOD
5 LEWIS SOOSEMEA
6 ERIN CLARK
7 MASON LINO
8 UPU POCHING
9 NATHANIEL ROACHE
10 TOAFOFOA SIPLEY
11 OFAHIKI OGDEN
12 SHAUN LANE
13 JAZZ TEVAGA
Interchange:
14 JAMES BELL
15 LIGI SAO
16 ALI LAUITIITI
17 JOHN PALAVI (c)
20 PATRICK SIPLEY
COACH | STACEY JONES
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v MANLY SEA EAGLES
Brookvale Oval, Sydney
11.00am, Sunday, July 17
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 KANE TELEA
2 PRESTON RIKI
3 JUNIOR PAUGA
4 ALFRED SMALLEY
5 MATT FAITOTOA
6 EIDEN ACKLAND
7 TYLER MOHI
8 KENESE KENESE
9 SHELDON PITAMA (c)
10 CHRIS SIO
11 JOSEPH VUNA
12 JEROME MAMEA
13 JOSEPH PRICE
Interchange:
14 ISAIAH PAPALII
15 CYRUS TIMO-LATU
16 MATTAIS HEIMULI
17 MELINO FINEANGANOFO
18 JAREL HEMEHEMA
COACH | KELVIN WRIGHT
