You have skipped the navigation, tab for page content
Sam Lisone Junior Warriors v Junior Dragons at Eden Park, Auckland on Saturday 15 March 2014. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport.co.nz

Vodafone Warriors prop Sam Lisone will shoulder a lot of the side's workload again in tonight's third-round NYC clash against North Queensland in Townsville.

 

He'll have a new front row starting partner with Iulio ‘Bunty’ Afoa being called into the run-on line-up.

 

Afoa was named on the bench originally but he will start with the experienced James Taylor moved to the bench.

 

The Vodafone Junior Warriors have been boosted for the contest with Tuimoala Lolohea and David Fusitua brought into the side for the first time this year.

 

 

VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS

 

1300SMILES Stadium, Townsville

5.45pm, Saturday, March 22

Referee: Michael Gordon

 

 

FIVE KEY FEATURES

 

#1 TUIMOALA LOLOHEA | He scored 22 tries in 28 NYC games last year. Since then he has had NRL trials for the Vodafone Warriors and represented the club at the inaugural NRL Nines at Eden Park. In the first two weeks of the season he turned out for the club’s New South Wales Cup side.

 

#2 DAVID FUSITUA | After making his NRL debut for an unavailable Manu Vatuvei last week, Fusitua will tonight complete the full set of having played for each of the Vodafone Warriors’ three teams in the first three rounds of the season. He played in the New South Wales Cup side in the first round.

 

#3 IULIO ‘BUNTY’ AFOA | After his NYC debut from the bench against the Dragons last week, the St Paul’s College product starts tonight. He impressed in a beaten side a week ago, making more than 80 metres from six full-force carries while also adding 13 tackles. He brings plenty of energy to his game.

  

#4 SAM LISONE | He will carry much of the responsibility for getting his team forward tonight. He was a standout against the Dragons last week gaining 166 metres from 16 runs and also making 25 tackles to win the players’ player of the day award.

 

#5 KEN MAUMALO | Maumalo is switched from the centres to the second row tonight. He scored one of the Vodafone Junior Warriors’ three tries last week and made a game-high 171 metres from 15 carries including six tackle breaks. He moves in to make way for David Fusitua.

 

 

VODAFONE WARRIORS

 

1 BRAD ABBEY

2 METIA LISATI

3 LAFU FEAGAIGA

4 DAVID FUSITUA

5 BRAXTON STANLEY

6 TUIMOALA LOLOHEA

7 MASON LINO (c)

8 SAM LISONE (c)

9 KURT ROBINSON

17 BUNTY AFOA

11 MICHAEL KI

12 KEN MAUMALO

13 KOUMA SAMSON

Interchange:

10 JAMES TAYLOR

14 ADAM TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD

15 JORDAN BALDWINSON

16 JAZZ TEVAGA

 

COACH: STACEY JONES

Acknowledgement of Country

The New Zealand Warriors honour the mana of the Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa, Australia and the Pacific. We acknowledge the traditional kaitiaki of the lands, elders past and present, their stories, their traditions, their mamae and their mana motuhake.

Principal Partner

Major Partners

Official Sponsors

View All Partners