Matt Lodge and Jazz Tevaga back in frame foe Anzac Day battle

Lodge and Tevaga back for Anzac Day clash in Melbourne

Author: Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Tue 19 Apr 2022, 03:02 PM

Forwards Matt Lodge and Jazz Tevaga are back in the Vodafone Warriors’ squad for the traditional Anzac Day contest against Melbourne at AAMI Park next Monday (7.00pm kick-off local time; 9.00pm NZT).

Lodge sat out the gruelling battle against the Sydney Roosters on Sunday as he recovered from a side strain picked up in the fourth-round win over his former Brisbane club.

He’s cleared to return for his 88th career appearance and his first Anzac Day outing for the Vodafone Warriors.

Tevaga is also back, named on an extended bench after serving a two-match suspension for a dangerous contact offence in the Brisbane win. The invaluable energiser will move within four games of joining the Vodafone Warriors’ 100-game club if he plays on Monday.

Lodge and Tevaga significantly bolster a Vodafone Warriors pack which was short of four experienced campaigners for the encounter with the Roosters. Also missing were big Ben Murdoch-Masila and still-recovering captain Tohu Harris.

That stripped the Vodafone Warriors of a combined total of 440 NRL appearances and left head coach Nathan Brown with just three frontline props in captain Addin Fonua-Blake, Bunty Afoa and Aaron Pene to take on the Roosters.

The 17 named is the same as that originally named ahead of the match against the Roosters before Lodge was ruled out with Pene moving into the starting line-up and hooker Taniela Otukolo added to the interchange.

Round 7 - Round 7 - Monday 25 Apr

Full Time

Storm

Warriors

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Storm is number 1 Ryan Papenhuyzen

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Reece Walsh
Winger for Storm is number 2 Nick Meaney

Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Centre for Storm is number 3 Reimis Smith

Centre for Warriors is number 3 Jesse Arthars
Centre for Storm is number 4 Justin Olam

Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey
Winger for Storm is number 5 Xavier Coates

Winger for Warriors is number 5 Edward Kosi
Five-Eighth for Storm is number 6 Cameron Munster

Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita
Halfback for Storm is number 7 Jahrome Hughes

Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson

Forwards

Prop for Storm is number 8 Jesse Bromwich

Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
Hooker for Storm is number 9 Harry Grant

Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
Prop for Storm is number 10 Nelson Asofa-Solomona

Prop for Warriors is number 10 Matthew Lodge
2nd Row for Storm is number 11 Felise Kaufusi

2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Euan Aitken
2nd Row for Storm is number 12 Kenneath Bromwich

2nd Row for Warriors is number 13 Josh Curran
Lock for Storm is number 13 Josh King

Lock for Warriors is number 20 Jazz Tevaga

Interchange

Interchange for Storm is number 14 Brandon Smith

Interchange for Warriors is number 12 Bayley Sironen
Interchange for Storm is number 16 Trent Loiero

Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Bunty Afoa
Interchange for Storm is number 17 Tepai Moeroa

Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Aaron Pene
Interchange for Storm is number 18 Chris Lewis

Interchange for Warriors is number 18 Taniela Otukolo

Reserves

Replacement for Storm is number 15 Tyran Wishart

Replacement for Warriors is number 22 Rocco Berry

Match Officials

Referee: Chris Sutton
Touch Judge: Dave Munro
Senior Review Official: Gerard Sutton

Last updated: 3/4/2024 11:32:48 PM

Apart from Tevaga, named in jersey #20, another included on the extended list is train and trial prop Garrett Smith, who scored a try for the Vodafone Warriors in their preseason win over Melbourne in February.

In the corresponding Anzac Day contest last year, fullback Reece Walsh and centre Rocco Berry launched their NRL careers. Of the 17 players used that night only eight are in the 24-man squad named today – Walsh, Berry, Kodi Nikorima, Bayley Sironen, Wayde Egan, Josh Curran, Tevaga and Afoa.

This will be the 12th Anzac Day match between the two clubs on a day when the Michael Moore Trophy will also be at stake.

The Storm have put together a run of 11 straight victories over the Vodafone Warriors since their last defeat at Mount Smart Stadium in 2015. They’ve also won the last five Anzac Day encounters since the Vodafone Warriors won 16-10 at AAMI Park in 2014.

Melbourne has won eight and lost two of the 11 Anzac matches so far with the first in 2009 drawn 14-14.