David Fusitua (pictured) will make his NRL debut after being called in to replace veteran winger Manu Vatuvei for the Vodafone Warriors’ second-round encounter with St George Illawarra at Eden Park today (5.00pm kick-off).
Vatuvei left the field with an ice pack on his shoulder and neck area after last week’s game against Parramatta and was again troubled by the injury at training on Wednesday
Fusitua, still eligible to play in the NYC this year, played trials against Gold Coast and Brisbane this season as well as representing the club at NRL Nines at Eden Park last month. He becomes Vodafone Warrior No 189, the fifth player to make his debut for the club this season.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Eden Park, Auckland
5.05pm, Saturday, March 15
Referees: Jared Maxwell and Grant Atkins
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 SAM TOMKINS
2 GLEN FISIIAHI
3 DANE NIELSEN
4 JEROME ROPATI
18 DAVID FUSITUA
6 CHAD TOWNSEND
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
8 SAM RAPIRA
9 NATHAN FRIEND
10 BEN MATULINO
11 JAYSON BUKUYA
12 SIMON MANNERING (c)
13 JOHN PALAVI
Interchange:
14 JACOB LILLYMAN
15 SUAIA MATAGI
16 BEN HENRY
17 FELETI MATEO
HEAD COACH: MATTHEW ELLIOTT
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA
1 ADAM QUINLAN
2 BRETT MORRIS
3 DYLAN FARRELL
4 GERARD BEALE
5 JASON NIGHTINGALE
6 GARETH WIDDOP
7 SAM WILLIAMS
8 TYSON FRIZELL
9 MITCH REIN
10 DAN HUNT
11 LEESON AH MAU
12 BEN CREAGH (c)
13 TRENT MERRIN
Interchange:
14 BRONSON HARRISON
15 KYLE STANLEY
16 JOEL THOMPSON
17 MIKE COOPER
COACH: STEVE PRICE
BETTING – WWW.TAB.CO.NZ
FIND ODDS FOR VODAFONE WARRIORS v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA
Go to https://www.tab.co.nz/sport/#game/133540/1/warriors-v-st-gi
Head to head:
Vodafone Warriors $1.30 vs Dragons $3.30
TV COVERAGE
SKY SPORT 2: Coverage starts at 4.30pm, kick-off 5.05pm
