Vodafone Warriors NRL rookies Solomone Kata and Albert Vete have been confirmed to start for Mate Ma’a Tonga in Saturday night’s 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifier at Campbelltown Sports Stadium in Sydney (7.30pm kick-off local time; 9.30pm NZT).
They both featured in the Pacific Test against Toa Samoa in Robina in May when the Samoans won 18-16. On that occasion Kata was in the centres while Vete was used from the interchange bench.
They both have different roles this week with Kata named at fullback and Vete selected as a starting prop.
The Tongans can call on ample NRL experience. Apart from Kata and Vete, the line-up also includes Jorge Taufua, Mahe Fonua, Sika Manu, Manu Ma’u and former Vodafone Warrior Ukuma Ta’ai.
The Cook Islanders boast Canberra’s Jordan Rapana, Wigan’s Anthony Gelling and Newcastle’s Sam Mataora.
RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
COOKS ISLANDS v MATE MA’A TONGA
7.30pm, Saturday, October 17
Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Sydney
COOK ISLANDS
1 JORDAN RAPANA (Canberra Raiders)
2 DRURY LOW (Narellan Jets)
3 ANTHONY GELLING (Wigan Warriors)
4 CHANCE PENI (Wests Tigers)
5 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD (Melbourne Storm)
6 JONO FORD (Wyong Roos)
7 WALLACE TANGIITI (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
8 UITI BAKER (Manly Sea Eagles)
9 AARON TEROI (Melbourne Storm)
10 SAM MATAORA (Newcastle Knights)
11 ESAN MARSTERS (Wests Tigers)
12 MAKAHESI MAKATOA (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs)
13 FRANCIS MOLO (Brisbane Broncos)
Interchange:
14 CARNE DOYLE-MANGA (Wyong Roos)
15 VINCENT RENNIE (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs)
16 VINNY NGARO (Manly Sea Eagles)
17 FRED PAKUTOA (Wentworthville Magpies)
18 RUEBEN RENNIE (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs)
COACH | ALEX CHAN
MATE MA’A TONGA
1 SOLOMONE KATA (Vodafone Warriors)
2 JORGE TAUFUA (Manly Sea Eagles)
3 MAHE FONUA (Melbourne Storm)
4 MOSES PANGAI (Townsville Blackhawks)
5 DELOUISE HOETER (Wests Tigers)
6 PAT POLITONI (Cronulla Sharks)
7 DANIEL FOSTER (Penrith Panthers)
8 ALBERT VETE (Vodafone Warriors)
9 JOEL LUANI (Wests Tigers)
10 PENI TEREPO (Parramatta Eels)
11 SIKA MANU (Penrith Panthers)
12 MANU MA’U (Parramatta Eels)
13 JOE OFAHENGAUE (Brisbane Broncos)
Interchange:
14 NAFE SELUINI (Burleigh Bears)
15 UKUMA TA’AI (Huddersfield Giants)
16 BEN MURDOCH-MASILA (Penrith Panthers)
17 LEILANI LATU (Penrith Panthers)
18 DAVID FIFITA (Cronulla Sharks)
COACH | KRISTIAN WOOLF
