For the first time in three months, the Vodafone Warriors will line up as selected for tonight’s 17th-round NRL clash against Penrith at Panthers Stadium (7.55pm kick-off local time; 9.55pm NZT).
Vodafone Warriors head coach Stephen Kearney has confirmed the starting line-up is as named 1-13 while the interchange comprises the four players listed in jerseys 14-17 in the squad announced on Tuesday.
The last time the Vodafone Warriors lined up 1-17 was against North Queensland on April 7 when they had their fifth straight win to open the season.
In each of the 10 matches since Kearney has shuffled his line-up or been forced to make late changes due to injuries.
With second rower Tohu Harris (knee) out, Simon Mannering starts on the right edge tonight while Ligi Sao replaces Bunty Afoa (elbow) on the bench. The other bench players are utility Jazz Tevaga, prop Chris Satae and outside back Gerard Beale.
Halfback Mason Lino and prop Sam Lisone were the two players omitted from the original 21 last night while the other two left out tonight are hooker Karl Lawton and second rower Joseph Vuna.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v PENRITH PANTHERS
7.55pm, Friday, July 6, 2018
Panthers Stadium, Penrith
Referees: Ben Cummins and Chris Sutton
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)
2 DAVID FUSITU’A
3 PETA HIKU
4 SOLOMONE KATA
5 KEN MAUMALO
6 BLAKE GREEN
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
8 JAMES GAVET
9 ISSAC LUKE
10 AGNATIUS PAASI
11 ISAIAH PAPALI’I
12 SIMON MANNERING
13 ADAM BLAIR
Interchange:
14 JAZZ TEVAGA
15 CHRIS SATAE
16 LIGI SAO
17 GERARD BEALE
HEAD COACH | STEPHEN KEARNEY
