Young second rower
Eliesa Katoa, halfback
Chanel Harris-Tavita and centre
Euan Aitken have all been included in the Vodafone Warriors’ 21-man squad for Sunday’s ninth-round NRL encounter with Manly-Warringah at Lottoland in Sydney (2.00pm kick-off local time; 4.00pm NZT).
The 21-year-old
Katoa comes straight back into the starting line-up replacing powerhouse forward
Ben Murdoch-Masila, who has been ruled out following a head knock late in the second half of Sunday’s 24-20 win over North Queensland.
Katoa's last NRL appearance was coincidentally against Manly when the Vodafone Warriors fell to a 12-13 fifth-round loss at Central Coast Stadium.
He had an impressive outing for feeder club Redcliffe in the Intrust Super Cup the following week only to pick up a toe injury which has had him side-lined the last two weeks.
Harris-Tavita has been listed in jersey #20 as he eyes a return after being side-lined for the last six rounds following surgery for a stress fracture in his left foot picked up in the 16-20 round two loss to Newcastle.
New signing
Aitken has appeared only in the season-opening 19-6 win over Gold Coast when he suffered an ankle injury which required surgery. He has been listed in jersey #22.
Other than
Katoa coming in for
Murdoch-Masila, the starting side and nominated bench is unchanged from the victory over the Cowboys.
It again sees two-game centre
Rocco Berry and last week’s debutant winger
Edward Kosi named on the right edge while the exciting rookie
Reece Walsh is selected in the halves with the experienced
Kodi Nikorima.
After eight rounds – a third of the season – the Vodafone Warriors sit seventh on the NRL ladder with a four win-four loss record.
Hit with a heavy injury toll and suspensions, head coach
Nathan Brown had already been forced to use 28 players with
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Ken
Maumalo,
Kodi Nikorima,
Wayde Egan,
Jazz Tevaga and
Leeson Ah Mau the only ones set to make their ninth straight appearance this week.
Tuivasa-Sheck goes into the return clash against Manly in a three-way share of the lead on the Dally M points table after collecting three points against the Cowboys when he made 225 metres (including 62 post contact metres) from 28 runs with eight tackle breaks, a line break, a try assist and three off loads.
He’s first among all players for most runs (196), second for most metres (1965), third for most post contact metres (571) and fourth for most tackle breaks (44).
VODAFONE WARRIORS v MANLY WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
2.00pm, Sunday, May 9, 2021
Lottoland, Sydney
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1
ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)
2
EDWARD KOSI
3
ADAM POMPEY
4
ROCCO BERRY
5 KEN
MAUMALO
6
REECE WALSH
7
KODI NIKORIMA
8
JAMAYNE TAUNOA-BROWN
9
WAYDE EGAN
10
KANE EVANS
11
JOSH CURRAN
12
ELIESA KATOA
13
TOHU HARRIS
Interchange:
14
JAZZ TEVAGA
15
LEESON AH MAU
16
BUNTY AFOA
17
BAYLEY SIRONEN
18
JACK MURCHIE
20
CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA
21 TOM ALE
22
EUAN AITKEN
HEAD COACH |
NATHAN BROWN
Three front liners returns from injury for the Vodafone Warriors' ninth-round clash against Manly.
www.warriors.kiwi