Top-of-the-table South Sydney will give the Vodafone Warriors an exacting challenge when they seek to maintain their impressive run of form in Sunday’s 21st-round Canterbury Cup NSW clash at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford (1.50pm kick-off local time; 3.50pm NZT).
Last Saturday’s 34-22 win over the Mounties, their fifth win in their last six matches, lifted the Vodafone Warriors to sixth on the ladder.
Since June 15, the Vodafone Warriors have beaten Wentworthville, North Sydney, Newtown, Wentworthville again and the Mounties with just the one loss along the way to Newcastle.
A standout feature has been their defence where they’re ranked second in the competition with only 349 points conceded in 18 games.
But this week they face a Rabbitohs side which lies six points ahead on 26 at the top of the ladder, one ahead of Canterbury-Bankstown and two ahead of Penrith.
Named to make his return after several weeks side-lined with a hamstring injury is rookie NRL centre Patrick Herbert. He was in line to play two weeks ago but was ultimately ruled out.
NRL rookies Adam Pompey and Josh Curran have both been selected.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium this week when they take on Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (14th) on Saturday (10.45am kick-off).
They’re still eighth on the table despite last week’s disappointing loss to Canberra.
CANTERBURY CUP NSW
VODAFONE WARRIORS v SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
1.50pm, Sunday, August 11
Central Coast Stadium, Gosford
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 ADAM POMPEY
2 LEWIS SOOSEMEA
3 PATRICK HERBERT
4 TAANE MILNE
5 SETU TU
6 HAYZE PERHAM
7 PAUL TURNER
8 KING VUNIYAYAWA
9 TYLER SLADE
10 JACKSON FREI
11 ADAM TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD
12 LEIVAHA PULU
13 JOSH CURRAN
Interchange:
14 SEAN MULLANY
15 PRESTON RIKI
16 CLAYTON WILLIAMS
17 PHILLIP MAKATOA
20 COLE WAAKA
COACH | NATHAN CAYLESS
JERSEY FLEGG CUP
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
10.45am, Saturday, August 10
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 EMANUEL TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD
2 SELESTINO RAVUTAUMADA
3 KAYAL IRO
4 RAY TUAIMALO-VAEGA
5 EDWARD KOSI
6 BRODY TAMARUA (c)
7 CASEY SMITH
8 JUNIOR PUA
9 TEMPLE KALEPO
10 WESLEY VEIKOSO
11 CALEB PESE
12 TOM ALE
13 ISAIAH VAGANA
Interchange:
14 TANIELA OTUKOLO
15 JYRIS GLAMUZINA
16 ELIESA KATOA
17 PHILLIP MAKATOA
18 MICHAEL LEMAFA
COACH | GREG BOULOUS
