Auckland Lions v Bluebags

[Skinner]

From : http://www.warriors.co.nz/

The Vodafone Auckland Lions will be without utility Lance Hohaia when they take on Newtown on Saturday in search of their third straight win in the New South Wales Premier League.

Hohaia was today named as the Vodafone Warriors’ 18th man for their NRL clash against the Sydney Roosters on Sunday after impressive form for the Vodafone Auckland Lions.
In just six games in the premier league side he has scored seven tries, including a hat-trick in last Saturday night’s outstanding 54-26 victory over Newcastle.

With Hohaia rejoining the NRL side, Marty Mitchell is back at halfback while another to return to the line-up is winger Patrick Ah Van, who was sidelined last weekend with a slight shoulder injury.

While Hohaia will be missing, the Vodafone Auckland Lions will still have seven Vodafone Warriors NRL squad members including veteran centre Tony Martin, who converted all nine tries against the Knights last week to give him a total of 32 points in his first two games for the side. Again in the centres will be Aidan Kirk, Newtown's regular fullback last year.

Also on a scoring spree has been winger Malo Solomona, now the side’s leading try-scorer with 14 tries in just 17 matches. His two touchdowns in the last 10 minutes last Saturday night took him two clear of previous pacesetter Sonny Fai.

Scoring 96 points in their last two outings, the Vodafone Auckland Lions have kept alive their hopes of reaching the premier league’s top eight finals series. With seven wins and 11 losses, they’ve moved up to 11th on the points table, four points behind eighth-placed Canberra; the Raiders, though, have had their three byes while the Aucklanders still have two points to come from their last bye. They also have a key game to come against the Raiders.

When the Vodafone Auckland Lions met Newton earlier in the season at Mt Smart Stadium, the Jets won 38-18. They were beaten grand finalists last year but they go into Saturday’s match a spot lower on the ladder than the Auckland side.

VODAFONE AUCKLAND LIONS v NEWTOWN JETS

Henson Park, Sydney
3.00pm, Saturday, August 4
VODAFONE AUCKLAND LIONS​

1 TODD BYRNE
2 PATRICK AH VAN
3 TONY MARTIN
4 AIDAN KIRK
5 MALO SOLOMONA
6 STEVE BUCKINGHAM (c)
7 MARTY MITCHELL
8 WAYNE McDADE
9 COREY LAWRIE
10 UPU POCHING
11 LOUIS ANDERSON
12 SONNY FAI
13 SCOTT JONES

Interchange:
14 LUI TOIMOANA
15 LEESON AH MAU
16 FABIAN SOUTAR
17 CONSTANTINE MIKA
18 MIGUEL START
19 RUSSELL PACKER

COACH: GRAEME NORTON​

 

[MKEB...]

When is Russel Packer back? I see that he was playing for the Falcons against the Orcas in the weekend.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Might consider heading over to Henson Park for this one. The 'bags will be tough, they touched us up earlier in the year. However I suspect a few of their form players from then are going to be in the Roosters side and the Lions are a much better side than they were back then. Should be a great match.

 

[Skinner]

Might consider heading over to Henson Park for this one. The 'bags will be tough, they touched us up earlier in the year. However I suspect a few of their form players from then are going to be in the Roosters side and the Lions are a much better side than they were back then. Should be a great match.

Jamie Soward was the difference in the early round - he is, of course, no longer there.

 

[Dr Crane]

I'd be almost tempted to back us in on this one.

Next year i might be tempted to travel to this one.

 

[Henson Park Hornets]

Jamie Soward was the difference in the early round - he is, of course, no longer there.

Here is the open wound... Why not rub a bit more salt into it! :lol:

Not to mention Lewis (Gold Coast) and Plumb (Canberra)....

 

[Skinner]

Here is the open wound... Why not rub a bit more salt into it! :lol:

Not to mention Lewis (Gold Coast) and Plumb (Canberra)....

:lol: :lol:

 

[top_dog]

Dont both sides have similar colours

 

[Skinner]

The Lions will be in their, predominately, white, away jumpers.

 

[Manurewa_Marlins]

I can see the Lions gettin up in this match.

hopefully they resign Scotty Jones, this guy is a superstar in the making.

 

[Skinner]

I can see the Lions gettin up in this match.

hopefully they resign Scotty Jones, this guy is a superstar in the making.

By his standards, he had a poor start to the season, but now he is back on fire.

His defence is unbelievable and he has great vision. If he hangs around, he's certainly
a future Warriors Captain.

 

[Dr Crane]

Playoffs football is still a realistic chance for the Vodafone Auckland Lions after they won their third straight match in the New South Wales Premier League today.
Facing last year's beaten grand finalists the Newtown Jets, the Aucklanders were never behind as they held on to win a tight encounter 19-16 at Henson Park in Sydney.
The victory followed a 42-22 win against the Western Suburbs Magpies two weeks ago and last Sunday's 54-26 triumph against second-placed Newcastle.
Today's result, the side's eighth win in its debut season, lifted it to 20 points, just three points outside the top eight.
The Vodafone Auckland Lions opened the scoring with tries to centre Aidan Kirk and second rower Sonny Fai - Fai scoring his 13th try of the season - but NRL veteran Tony Martin failed to convert them.
The Jets came back into the contest with a try to trail 6-8 at halftime.
That became a 14-6 lead for the Lions with a Lui Toimoana try only for Newtown to close to 12-14.
But an unconverted try to Patrick Ah Van and a Steve Buckingham field goal 10 minutes from time proved crucial, taking the Vodafone Auckland Lions out to a 19-12 lead.
A Newtown try on fulltime wasn't enough to prevent the visitors taking the two competition points as they eye their final three matches against the Bulldogs, Canberra and Penrith while they also have two points to come from a bye in the second to last weekend of the regular season.
Match details:

At Henson Park, Sydney:
Vodafone Auckland Lions 19 (Aidan Kirk, Sonny Fai, Lui Toimoana, Patrick Ah Van tries; Tony Martin conversion; Steve Buckingham field goal).
Newtown Jets 16 (Troy Savage, Rory Kostjaysn, Mickey Paea tries; Shaun Foley 2 conversions).
Halftime: 8-6 Vodafone Auckland Lions.

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Good sh*t

 

[Skinner]

You bloody beauty.

It's their last home game next Saturday....get out to Mt Smart early and give them
a bit of support.

 

[ozbash]

good sh*t alright, shows what a bit of continuity will do.

 

[MKEB...]

Was Aiden Kirk bought over specifically to play for the Lions. As good as he is, what chance is there of him playing first grade?

 

[MKEB...]

And thank christ that Tony Martin wasn't kicking for the warriors this week.
Great win to the Lions.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Was Aiden Kirk bought over specifically to play for the Lions. As good as he is, what chance is there of him playing first grade?

None unless both McKinnon and Ah Van get injured I'd say.

 

[Iafeta]

I can see the Lions gettin up in this match.

hopefully they resign Scotty Jones, this guy is a superstar in the making.

When the club announced Martin, Byrne and Gatis were not getting resigned, they also announced that they had secured Leeson Ah Mau, Malo Solomona and Scott Jones, I believe until the end of 2009.

 

[Iafeta]

None unless both McKinnon and Ah Van get injured I'd say.

He can play centres as well, so I'd think his chances aren't too bad of getting a jersey sometime next year. Our attrition rate has been unbelievable this year, but that can't go on forever.