A fourth straight win is on offer for the Vodafone Warriors when they host Wentworthville in their 17th-round Intrust Super Premiership clash at QBE North Harbour Stadium on Saturday (1.00pm kick-off).
Their impressive 24-20 victory over the competition-leading Mounties last week has them sharing third spot on 20 points (fifth on points for and against), just three behind new leader Penrith, with the Mounties now second on 22 points.
The Vodafone Warriors have been on the charge over the last month.
Since their narrow 18-20 12th-round loss to the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles they’ve harvested eight points by beating Wentworthville 36-6 in Sydney, collecting two points from a bye in round 14 and then beating Newcastle 22-18 away as well as the Mounties last week.
The Magpies have had a wretched time this season, sitting 11th on the table above only Newcastle with a 5-10 record. They come to Auckland after losing 24-50 to Newtown last weekend.
Hunting their 10th win of the season, the Vodafone Warriors have had a gain and two losses on the selection merry-go-round. They’ve regained centre Anthony Gelling, who was on NRL duty against Cronulla last week, but their best forward against the Mounties – Ligi Sao – has been called into the NRL side this week and Jospeh Vuna is listed as 18th man (not named in the ISP squad). Pat Sipley replaces Sao in the front row.
Meanwhile, the Vodafone Junior Warriors resume their Jersey Flegg Cup campaign after a two-week break in the competition.
Their last outing against competition leader Newcastle wasn’t one to remember. In the early game at QBE North Harbour Stadium they face another side well up the ladder in the sixth-placed Parramatta Eels.
INTRUST SUPER PREMIERSHIP
VODAFONE WARRIORS v WENTWORTHVILLE MAGPIES
1.00pm, Saturday, July 7
QBE North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 HAYZE PERHAM
2 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
3 BLAKE AYSHFORD
4 ANTHONY GELLING
5 JUNIOR PAUGA
6 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA
7 MASON LINO (c)
8 PAT SIPLEY
9 KARL LAWTON
10 SAM LISONE
11 MATIU LOVE-HENRY
12 KING VUNIYAYAWA
13 JAMES BELL (c)
Interchange:
14 SAM COOK
15 PAEA MANUKIA
16 TOM ALE
17 REECE CHARLIE
18 TEVIN ARONA
COACH | JOHN TEINA
JERSEY FLEGG CUP
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v PARRAMATTA EELS
11.00am, Saturday, July 7
QBE North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 KAYAL IRO
2 HARLEY MAYNARD
3 CASEY SMITH
4 ELIJAH SUFIA
5 EDWARD KOSI
6 PAUL TURNER
7 EIDEN ACKLAND
8 PRESTON RIKI
9 LEWIS SIO
10 WESLEY VEIKOSO
11 HAVI TUPOUNIUA
12 TYLER SLADE (c)
13 PHILLIP MAKATOA
Interchange:
14 RICHARD TOA’I
15 JUNIOR PUA
16 SOANE HUFANGA
17 EMANUEL TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD
18 ANTONIO POUA
COACH | RICKY HENRY
