Back rower James Bell becomes the Vodafone Warriors’ latest debutant and prop Sam Lisone has been brought into the starting line-up for tonight’s 21st-round NRL encounter with defending premiers the Cronulla Sharks at Mount Smart Stadium (8.00pm kick-off).
Bell, consistently impressive for the club’s Intrust Super Premiership side, comes onto the interchange bench for last week’s debutant Chris Satae alongside prop Ben Matulino, Ata Hingano and Ligi Sao.
Lisone will be making just his fifth start in 58 appearances since 2015.
Still without a try, he started three times early last season and was used as the starting loose forward against Penrith in round 10 this year.
Bell (23), a Papakura Sea Eagles junior, was presented with his commemorative jersey by his father in front of his team-mates yesterday. He becomes Vodafone Warrior #220.
An ISP regular with more than 50 appearances since 2015, he is the 10th player from the 2014 NYC premiership-winning Vodafone Junior Warriors to graduate to the club’s NRL side. The others have been Lisone, Nathaniel Roache, Solomone Kata, Tuimoala Lolohea, Mason Lino, Jazz Tevaga, Toafofoa Sipley, Ken Maumalo and Bunty Afoa.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v CRONULLA SHARKS
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
8.00pm, Friday, July 28
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)
2 DAVID FUSITU’A
3 BLAKE AYSHFORD
4 SOLOMONE KATA
5 KEN MAUMALO
6 KIERAN FORAN
7 MASON LINO
8 JACOB LILLYMAN
9 ISSAC LUKE
15 SAM LISONE
11 BODENE THOMPSON
12 BUNTY AFOA
13 SIMON MANNERING
Interchange:
10 BEN MATULINO
14 MAFOA’AEATA HINGANO
16 LIGI SAO
20 JAMES BELL
HEAD COACH | STEPHEN KEARNEY
