Six NRL players return to bolster the Vodafone Warriors’ line-up for Sunday’s Intrust Super Premiership semifinal against Newcastle at UOW Jubilee Oval in Sydney (7.05pm kick-off local time; 9.05pm NZT).
Halves Mason Lino and Ata Hingano, wing Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and forwards Charlie Gubb, Isaiah Papali’i and Jazz Tevaga were all on duty for the club’s injury-ravaged NRL side against Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval last Sunday.
On the same day the under-strength Vodafone Warriors, second in the regular season, lost 20-36 to third-placed Penrith leaving them in a sudden-death playoff against the Knights this week. Seventh-placed Newcastle eliminated sixth-ranked North Sydney 40-18 last week.
With the Vodafone Warriors’ season over, ISP coach Ricky Henry has call on all eligible players this week.
He has named influential captain Lino and Hingano in the halves, Nicoll-Klokstad on the right wing, Gubb as one of the starting front rowers, Papali’i in the second row and Tevaga on the bench.
It means the Vodafone Warriors have 15 players with NRL experience in their squad including five on the extended bench. Of the starting line-up, the only players who haven’t appeared at NRL level are prop Daniel Palavi, second rower Ofahiki Ogden and centre Junior Pauga.
Pauga has appeared in all 23 matches so far while Ogden has missed only one match and Palavi has been used 18 times. Sam Cook, the only other player to appear in all 23 matches, is on the extended seven-man bench.
The Vodafone Warriors took over full control of the side in 2014. Loose forward James Bell has the record for most appearances over the four seasons, this week’s match being his 64th while Lino will be playing his 54th match in the grade; Lino also has the record for most points with 378 including 142 this season.
Centre Matt Allwood plays his 49th ISP match for the club this week.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
UOW Jubilee Oval, Kogarah
7.05pm, Sunday, September 10
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 ZAC SANTO
2 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
3 MATTHEW ALLWOOD
4 JUNIOR PAUGA
5 BURETA FARAIMO
6 MAFOA’AEATA HINGANO
7 MASON LINO (c)
8 DANIEL PALAVI
9 MANAIA CHERRINGTON
10 CHARLIE GUBB
11 OFAHIKI OGDEN
12 ISAIAH PAPALI’I
13 JAMES BELL
Interchange:
14 JAZZ TEVAGA
15 CHRIS SATAE
16 ALBERT VETE
17 LIGI SAO
18 TOAFOFOA SIPLEY
20 SAM COOK
21 SEMISI FOTU
COACH | RICKY HENRY
