Milestones and Frei to debut for Vodafone Warriors

Frei makes debut in Hiku's 150th career appearance

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Tue 10 Aug 2021, 09:01 PM

Peta Hiku eyes his 150th milestone appearance while prop Jackson Frei has been named to make his debut in the Vodafone Warriors’ 22nd-round NRL encounter with Canterbury Bankstown at Redcliffe’s Moreton Daily Stadium on Sunday (1.50pm kick-off local time; 3.50pm NZT).

With front row resources depleted by suspension, injury and unavailability, head coach Nathan Brown has called up the 23-year-old Queenslander Frei to start alongside in-form captain Addin Fonua-Blake.

Frei, who joined the Vodafone Warriors in 2019, was a regular for feeder club Redcliffe in the Intrust Super Cup until the latest Covid-19 lockdown put the competition on hold. In 10 outings for the Dolphins he has averaged 104 metres and 25 tackles a game.

He will become the 34th player the Vodafone Warriors have used this season, the 15th to debut for the club and the sixth to play his first NRL game after Rocco Berry, Reece Walsh, Edward Kosi, Taniela Otukolo and Viliami Vailea.

In another key feature, experienced halfback Chad Townsend and hooker Wayde Egan are both on the extended bench after recovering from shoulder injuries.

Both Hiku and winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak were set for a double 150th celebration this week but Watene-Zelezniak will now miss the match after failing to overturn a contrary conduct charge at the NRL judiciary tonight.

Round 22 - Round 22 - Sunday 15 Aug

Full Time

Warriors

Bulldogs

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Reece Walsh

Fullback for Bulldogs is number 1 Nick Meaney
Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya

Winger for Bulldogs is number 5 Falakiko Manu
Centre for Warriors is number 3 Peta Hiku

Centre for Bulldogs is number 3 Will Hopoate
Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey

Centre for Bulldogs is number 4 Aaron Schoupp
Winger for Warriors is number 18 Edward Kosi

Winger for Bulldogs is number 20 Jayden Okunbor
Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita

Five-Eighth for Bulldogs is number 6 Bailey Biondi-Odo
Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Sean O'Sullivan

Halfback for Bulldogs is number 7 Jake Averillo

Forwards

Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake

Prop for Bulldogs is number 8 Ava Seumanufagai
Hooker for Warriors is number 22 Wayde Egan

Hooker for Bulldogs is number 9 Jeremy Marshall-King
Prop for Warriors is number 10 Jackson Frei

Prop for Bulldogs is number 10 Ryan James
2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Josh Curran

2nd Row for Bulldogs is number 11 Adam Elliott
2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Euan Aitken

2nd Row for Bulldogs is number 12 Matt Doorey
Lock for Warriors is number 9 Jazz Tevaga

Lock for Bulldogs is number 13 Josh Jackson

Interchange

Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Kodi Nikorima

Interchange for Bulldogs is number 14 Sione Katoa
Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Bunty Afoa

Interchange for Bulldogs is number 15 Chris Patolo
Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Jamayne Taunoa-Brown

Interchange for Bulldogs is number 16 Corey Horsburgh
Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Eliesa Katoa

Interchange for Bulldogs is number 17 Joe Stimson

Reserves

Reserve for Warriors is number 20 Jack Murchie

Reserve for Bulldogs is number 19 Kyle Flanagan

Match Officials

Referee: Peter Gough
Touch Judge: Liam Kennedy
Touch Judge: Drew Oultram
Senior Review Official: Matt Noyen

Last updated: 5/29/2023 4:40:53 AM

The Vodafone Warriors have also lost experienced front rowers Matt Lodge and Kane Evans after they took early guilty pleas on charges they picked up against the Sharks; Evans has been suspended for one match and Lodge for two.

With veteran Leeson Ah Mau cleared to return home early last month and Ben Murdoch-Masila out for the rest of the season with a foot injury, the Vodafone Warriors are left with only three established props in captain Addin Fonua-Blake, Bunty Afoa and Jamayne Taunoa-Brown.

Brown has brought Taunoa-Brown onto the interchange to replace Evans while Afoa remains on a bench which also includes Kodi Nikorima and Eliesa Katoa.

Hiku (28), who made his NRL debut in 2013, has his 70th game for the Vodafone Warriors on Sunday after 60 games for Manly (2013-2015) and 20 for Penrith (2016-2017).

In their wins over the Tigers and Sharks – the first back-to-back successes this season – the Vodafone Warriors' back five were key to the performances.

Against the Tigers, winger Marcelo Montoya made 195 metres, Watene-Zelezniak 190, centre Adam Pompey 124 and fullback Reece Walsh 116.

Every one of the back five topped 100 metres against Cronulla – Hiku 196, Walsh 156, Watene-Zelezniak 155, Montoya 129 and rookie Viliami Vailea 122.

Sunday’s match will have special meaning for the Vodafone Warriors playing a home game at feeder club Redcliffe’s Moreton Daily Stadium. Several of the players in this week’s side have appeared for the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Intrust Super Cup this season.

Of the 21 players named today, nine have played for the Dolphins at some stage this season.