Vodafone Warriors coach Ricky Henry has been able to name a fairly settled squad for the competition leaders’ sixth-round Intrust Super Premiership encounter with the Newtown Jets at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday (11.45am kick-off).
Loose forward James Bell returns to the side after serving a one-game suspension but hooker Nathaniel Roache has again been named on the extended bench for the NRL side’s match against Parramatta on Sunday.
Roache laid on the Vodafone Warriors’ first two tries for Ofa Ogden and Bunty Afoa in the side’s 26-14 win over Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles last weekend (the team’s fifth straight win this season).
That sees Jazz Tevaga being named at hooker after being used at hooker last Sunday.
Out of the side and cruelly facing a long stint on the sideline is promising utility Tevin Arona, who was stretchered off the field with a broken leg last weekend.
While the Vodafone Warriors are alone on top of the ladder on 10 points, the Jets have a 2-3 win-loss record coming off a loss to Newcastle last weekend.
Meanwhile, NRL rookies Erin Clark and Isaiah Papali’i have again been named to turn out for the Vodafone Junior Warriors in their sixth-round NYC match against Parramatta.
In their first appearances for the side this year, they both worked hard in a beaten side last weekend, Papali’i finishing with more than 150 metres.
After leading 14-12 at halftime, the Vodafone Junior Warriors fell well behind 14-34 but came home strongly scoring three late tries before going down 30-34.
Halfback Paul Turner (17) is in line to make his debut after being named at halfback while his brother Lee – also a 2017 rookie – is again named at fullback.
INTRUST SUPER PREMIERSHIP
VODAFONE WARRIORS v NEWTOWN JETS
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
11.45am, Sunday, April 9
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
2 JUNIOR PAUGA
3 MATT ALLWOOD
4 SEMISI FOTU
5 TUIMOALA LOLOHEA
6 SAM COOK
7 MASON LINO (c)
8 PATRICK SIPLEY
9 JAZZ TEVAGA
10 ALBERT VETE
11 OFAHIKI OGDEN
12 BUNTY AFOA
13 JAMES BELL
Interchange:
14 REECE CHARLIE
15 CHRIS SATAE
16 DANIEL PALAVI
17 PAULOS LATU
20 MATTHEW SAUNI
21 KING VUNIYAYAWA
COACH | RICKY HENRY
NYC
VODAFONE WARRIORS v PARRAMATTA EELS
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
1.45pm, Sunday, April 9
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 LEE TURNER
2 LEWIS SOOSEMEA
3 KANE TELEA
4 GIBSON POPOALII
5 MATHEW FAITOTOA
6 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA
7 PAUL TURNER
8 KENESE KENESE (c)
9 ERIN CLARK
10 CHRIS SIO (c)
11 JOE VUNA
12 PRESTON RIKI
13 ISAIAH PAPALI'I
Interchange:
14 SOANE HUFANGA
15 TYLER SLADE
16 NATHAN NEWTON
17 DYLAN TAVITA
18 JEROME MAMEA
20 JORDAN PINNOCK
21 SHANE HANNAM
22 KEANU LAUMATIA-PAKI
23 TAYHLER PAORA
24 EIDEN ACKLAND
COACH | GRANT POCKLINGTON
