The Vodafone Warriors will have plenty of NRL experience to call on in their bid to return to winning form in their 11th-round Intrust Super Premiership clash against St George Illawarra at Henson Park in Sydney on Saturday (1.00pm kick-off local time; 3.00pm NZT).
The John Teina-coached side has followed a run of three wins with losses to the Mounties (26-30) and Western Suburbs (0-11) in the last two rounds.
It leaves the Vodafone Warriors with a 5-5 record just holding onto eighth spot on 10 points, although still only four points adrift of the top two sides the Mounties and Penrith. The Dragons are one of four sides on 12 points, ranked fifth on points for and against.
The squad named today includes 10 players with NRL experience with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad on the wing, Blake Ayshford and Anthony Gelling in the centres, Sam Cook at halfback, Ligi Sao, Karl Lawton and Albert Vete in the front row, Joe Vuna and James Bell in the back row and Manaia Cherrington on the bench.
When the two sides met at Mount Smart Stadium on April 21, the Vodafone Warriors prevailed 37-24.
Meanwhile, the Vodafone Junior Warriors resume their Jersey Flegg Cup campaign against St George Illawarra this weekend after the competition’s two-week break.
The last time the two teams met in Auckland, the Vodafone Junior Warriors won 38-30.
The Dragons sit ninth on the ladder on five points just one ahead of the Vodafone Junior Warriors.
INTRUST SUPER PREMIERSHIP
VODAFONE WARRIORS v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
1.00pm, Saturday, May 19
Henson Park, Sydney
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 HAYZE PERHAM
2 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
3 BLAKE AYSHFORD
4 ANTHONY GELLING
5 LEWIS SOOSEMEA
6 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA
7 SAM COOK
8 LIGI SAO
9 KARL LAWTON
10 ALBERT VETE
11 MATIU LOVE-HENRY
12 JOSEPH VUNA
13 JAMES BELL (c)
Interchange:
14 MANAIA CHERRINGTON
15 SIONE AFEMUI
16 PATRICK SIPLEY
17 KING VUNIYAYAWA
18 TEVIN ARONA
COACH | JOHN TEINA
JERSEY FLEGG CUP
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v AT GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
2.00pm, Saturday, May 19
Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 KAYAL IRO
2 PATRICK ELIA
3 TOM ALE
4 CARLOS HENRY
5 ELIJAH SUFIA
6 EIDEN ACKLAND
7 PAUL TURNER
8 SOANE HUFANGA (c)
9 LEWIS SIO
10 WESLEY VEIKOSO
11 TYLER SLADE (c)
12 HAVI TUPOUNIUA
13 PRESTON RIKI
Interchange:
14 SHELDON ROGERS
15 SIONE TUIPULOTU
16 LOTU INISI
17 HARLEY MAYNARD
18 GRAEME PATU-VAEGA'AU
COACH | RICKY HENRY
