Offseason signing Henare Wells will make his debut for the Vodafone Warriors’ Intrust Super Premiership side in Sunday’s fourth-round clash against the Wyong Roos at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday (1.00pm kick-off).
The 23-year-old Taumarunui-born will start at fullback after recovering from a hamstring injury he picked up during the Downer NRL Auckland Nines at Eden Park on February 6-7.
A Papakura Sea Eagles junior, Wells played NYC football with the Sydney Roosters – when Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was a team-mate – before having a stint with the Newtown Jets in the New South Wales Cup (now the Intrust Super Premiership) and the Burleigh Bears in the Intrust Super Cup in Queensland.
In other changes David Fusitu’a replaces Konrad Hurrell in the centres, captain Ali Lauitiiti moves into the front row and John Palavi comes off the bench to start at loose forward.
The big selection news for the NYC team is the return of outstanding prop Bunty Afoa from an injury lay-off.
Also back after missing last weekend's clash against Melbourne are halfback Zion Ioka and centre Melino Fineanganofo.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v WYONG ROOS
Mount Smart Stadium #1, Auckland
1.00pm, Sunday, March 27
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 HENARE WELLS
2 KEN MAUMALO
3 MATT ALLWOOD
4 DAVID FUSITU’A
5 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
6 ERIN CLARK
7 ATA HINGANO
8 JAMES GAVET
9 ZAC TIPPINS
10 UPU POCHING
11 ALI LAUITIITI (c)
12 RAYMOND FAITALA-MARINER
13 JOHN PALAVI
Interchange:
14 MARATA NIUKORE
15 PAUL TULI
16 PAT SIPLEY
17 JAMES BELL
18 TOMAS AOAKE
COACH | STACEY JONES
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
1.45pm, Monday, March 28
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 KANE TELEA
2 LEWIS SOOSEMEA
3 JUNIOR PAUGA
4 MELINO FINEANGANOFO
5 LEVI McBIRNEY
6 SHELDON PITAMA (c)
7 ZION IOKA
8 BUNTY AFOA
9 CHRIS SIO
10 ISAIAH PAPALII
11 OFAHIKI OGDEN
12 JOSEPH PRICE
13 JOSEPH VUNA
Interchange:
14 TUALIMA TUALIMA
15 KENESE KENESE
16 KOLI ONEONE
17 KEANU DAWSON
COACH | KELVIN WRIGHT
BUY TICKETS NOW | VODAFONE WARRIORS v NEWCASTLE
