Back rower Leivaha Pulu makes his much-awaited return from a long injury lay-off when he starts for the Vodafone Warriors in their 19th-round Intrust Super Premiership clash against the Wyong Roos at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday (1.45pm kick-off).
Pulu appeared in each of the Vodafone Warriors’ five season-opening wins over South Sydney, Gold Coast, Canberra, the Sydney Roosters and North Queensland before being forced off the field with a foot injury 23 minutes into the sixth-round home clash against Brisbane.
He has been tasked with making his way back through the ISP before pushing his claims to regain a spot in the NRL squad. Pulu was originally targeted to return in round 20.
The Vodafone Warriors, coming off a tough 10-14 loss to competition leader Penrith, have also been boosted by the return of front rowers Sam Lisone and Ligi Sao plus centre Anthony Gelling; Lisone is back after serving a one-game suspension while Sao and Gelling were with the NRL side in Brisbane last weekend.
The seventh-placed Vodafone Warriors are one of two teams on 20 points, only two behind three teams on 22 points filling third, fourth and fifth.
Wyong is two points back in ninth spot on 18 points.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors face the Sydney Roosters in the Jersey Flegg Cup on Sunday (11.45am kick-off).
After a number of tight losses this season, they pulled off their most significant win of the campaign in holding off the highly-ranked Panthers 14-12 last Sunday.
INTRUST SUPER PREMIERSHIP
VODAFONE WARRIORS v WYONG ROOS
1.45pm, Sunday, July 22
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 HAYZE PERHAM
2 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
3 BLAKE AYSHFORD
4 ANTHONY GELLING
5 JUNIOR PAUGA
6 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA
7 MASON LINO (c)
8 SAM LISONE
9 KARL LAWTON
10 LIGI SAO
11 MATIU LOVE-HENRY
12 LEIVAHA PULU
13 JAMES BELL (c)
Interchange:
14 SAM COOK
15 KING VUNIYAYAWA
16 PATRICK SIPLEY
17 TOM ALE
18 TRENT SCHAUMKEL
COACH | JOHN TEINA
JERSEY FLEGG CUP
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v SYDNEY ROOSTERS
11.45am, Sunday, July 22
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 KAYAL IRO
2 HARLEY MAYNARD
3 CASEY SMITH
4 SIAVE TOGOIU
5 EMANUEL TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD
6 PAUL TURNER
7 EIDEN ACKLAND
8 LOTU INISI
9 TAANE PAKI
10 WESLEY VEIKOSO
11 PRESTON RIKI
12 TYLER SLADE (c)
13 PHILLIP MAKATOA
Interchange:
14 TEMPLE KALEPO
15 JUNIOR PUA
16 KAKOI TOGOIU
17 SOANE HUFANGA
COACH | RICKY HENRY
