First-graders Feleti Mateo and Chad Townsend will appear for the Vodafone Warriors’ New South Wales Cup side in Sunday’s clash against Canterbury-Bankstown at Eden Park (11.40am kick-off; match day sponsor: SKYCITY).
Mateo will line up at loose forward and Townsend at standoff as the Rohan Smith-coached side seeks to build on its first win of the season against Cronulla last week, a match it won impressively 44-6.
In another feature selection giant back rower Sam Lousi returns for his outing of the season. He’s included on the bench.
Smith is in line to be without several of his 2014 regulars with Ngani Laumape and Sebastine Ikahihifo all named to start for the NRL side against the Bulldogs. Acting head coach Andrew McFadden has also included another four New South Wales Cup regulars on an extended bench in utility Dominique Peyroux, prop Charlie Gubb, hooker Siliva Havili and loose forward David Bhana.
After missing the victory over the Sharks, Carlos Tuimavave is back in the centres and Jarred Wilson on the wing.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Eden Park, Auckland
11.40pm, Sunday, April 13
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 STEVE WAETFORD (c)
2 JARRED WILSON
3 CARLOS TUIMAVAVE
4 JARROD TUA
5 DAVID FUSITUA
6 CHAD TOWNSEND
7 TUIMOALA LOLOHEA
8 NATHANIEL PETERU
9 MICHAEL SIO
10 UPU POCHING
11 JOHN PALAVI
12 RAYMOND FAITALA-MARINER
13 FELETI MATEO
Interchange:
14 AGNATIUS PAASI
15 ALBERT VETE
16 SAM LOUSI
17 ABRAHAM PAPALII
COACH: ROHAN SMITH
