Warriors side named

[Kiwi Eagle]

www.warriors.co.nz

Winger Bill Tupou was today handed his first-grade debut and second rower Lewis Brown was recalled for the Vodafone Warriors’ fourth-round NRL encounter with Manly at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday.
Tupou (19) comes into the line-up on the left wing for the injured Manu Vatuvei while Brown replaces captain Simon Mannering, who’s also sidelined with injury.
Vatuvei and Mannering were forced off the field with hamstring injuries during the first half of the Vodafone Warriors’ record 48-16 win over Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium last Sunday.
“Hamstring injuries are difficult to accurately assess in the acute phase but Manu and Simon are definitely out this week,” said team doctor John Mayhew.
“We’re taking a conservative approach .They’ll be reassessed later in the week and will continue to be monitored but we can’t yet put a time frame on when they will be able to return.”
With Vatuvei out, Tupou, now in his third season with the Vodafone Junior Warriors in the NYC, will become Vodafone Warrior No 160. A product of Auckland’s Marist club, he has scored 30 tries in his 40 NYC games so far. He impressed in the club’s NRL trials, appearing in all three games and scoring a try against North Queensland.
Brown, who was outstanding in the opening two rounds of the season, is back after serving a one-match suspension for a dangerous throw offence against Cronulla. Coach Ivan Cleary has named Brown to partner Jacob Lillyman in the second row while he has listed Sam Rapira and Russell Packer as the starting props.
“It’s a real boost for us to have Lewie back with Simon out and Bill has been working hard for this chance throughout the off-season,” said Cleary.
“It’s not getting any easier for us, though. It’s still early in the season but we’re fairly battered already and we’re certainly having our depth tested.”
As well as Mannering and Vatuvei, others out of contention for the Manly clash include Steve Price (heel), Brett Seymour (hand), Sione Lousi (leg), Isaac John (foot) and Elijah Taylor (knee) as well as Shaun Johnson, who could be out for four-to-six weeks with an ankle injury he picked up in the Vodafone Junior Warriors’ NYC loss to the Broncos last weekend. Ian Henderson has been cleared from a knee injury that has ruled him out since the first preseason trial against the Sydney Roosters on February.
“We’ve put together a couple of good performances and the players coming in have done a great job but we’re seeing just how testing playing and surviving in this competition is,” said Cleary.
“Last week has already gone and there won’t be any let-up from Manly, who came back with a win against Newcastle last week. They’ve always been exceptionally tough opposition for us and we wouldn’t expect anything else from them this time.”
The Vodafone Warriors and Manly drew 16-16 when they met in an NRL trial at North Harbour Stadium on February 28.

VODAFONE WARRIORS v MANLY SEA EAGLES

Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
4.00pm, Sunday, April 4

VODAFONE WARRIORS

1 LANCE HOHAIA
2 KEVIN LOCKE
3 BRENT TATE
4 JEROME ROPATI
5 BILL TUPOU
6 JOEL MOON
7 JAMES MALONEY
8 SAM RAPIRA
9 AARON HEREMAIA
10 RUSSELL PACKER
11 LEWIS BROWN
12 JACOB LILLYMAN
13 MICHEAL LUCK (c)
Interchange:
14 WADE McKINNON
15 JEREMY LATIMORE
16 JESSE ROYAL
17 BEN MATULINO

COACH: IVAN CLEARY

 

[The Wheel]

Surely we will be too strong for this mob

 

[Rambo1987]

Lewis Brown is a strong runner - our defence will struggle to him and Packer.

Last week we let in 2 easy hard forward runners, this week will be the same..

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Bailey was missing. No-one seems to have any idea why he gets picked. It might be for his defence.

 

[DSM5]

Their half was pretty smart against the Broncos, but our side is better defensively than them.  A win here.

 

[ManlyBacker]

We are lucky to catch them with their injury list. They stepped up against the Sharks when they could have capitulated and spanked the Broncos. We will miss George but if we can maintain the tackling intensity then we are a good shot to get them. Their backline still looks dangerous but their pack may be the weakness.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Centrebet has us $1.63 favourites. On the injury list point, yes but they are also lucky to catch us with our injury list.