The Penrith Panthers will pose a stern challenge for the Vodafone Warriors in both the Intrust Super Premiership and Jersey Flegg Cup 18th-round matches at QBE North Harbour Stadium on Sunday.
The sixth-placed ISP side encounters a Penrith outfit sitting three points clear at the top of the table on a run of three straights wins.
And the Vodafone Junior Warriors, who lost 10-18 in a tough grind against the Eels last Saturday, face a Panthers team lying second two points off the pace.
The John Teina-coached ISP side let slip a good lead in going down 22-30 to Wentworthville last Saturday.
The Vodafone Warriors are showing some changes in their line-up named today with centre Anthony Gelling included on the NRL interchange along with second rower Joe Vuna. They’ve also lost Sam Lisone through suspension as well as exciting young interchange forward Tom Ale to injury.
With Lisone out, King Vuniyayawa is named in the front row and Jersey Flegg-eligible Preston Riki is selected in the second row. Coming into the centres for Gelling is former Vodafone Junior Warrior Francis Leger.
INTRUST SUPER PREMIERSHIP
VODAFONE WARRIORS v PENRITH PANTHERS
1.00pm, Sunday, July 15
QBE North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 HAYZE PERHAM
2 CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
3 FRANCIS LEGER
4 BLAKE AYSHFORD
5 JUNIOR PAUGA
6 SAM COOK
7 MASON LINO (c)
8 PAT SIPLEY
9 KARL LAWTON
10 KING VUNIYAYAWA
11 MATIU LOVE-HENRY
12 PRESTON RIKI
13 JAMES BELL (c)
Interchange:
14 REECE CHARLIE
15 PAEA MANUKIA
16 WESLEY VEIKOSO
17 TRENT SCHAUMKEL
18 TEVIN ARONA
COACH | JOHN TEINA
JERSEY FLEGG CUP
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v PARRAMATTA EELS
11.00am, Sunday, July 15
QBE North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 KAYAL IRO
2 HARLEY MAYNARD
3 CASEY SMITH
4 EMANUEL TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD
5 EDWARD KOSI
6 PAUL TURNER
7 EIDEN ACKLAND
8 LOTU INISI
9 RICHARD TO’AI
10 PHILLIP MAKATOA
11 HAVI TUPOUNIUA
12 SIONE TUIPULOTU
13 TYLER SLADE (c)
Interchange:
14 TAANE PAKI
15 JUNIOR PUA
16 SOANE HUFANGA
17 ELIJAH SUFIA
18 ANTONIO POUA
COACH | RICKY HENRY
