After starting the season with three consecutive defeats, Vodafone Warriors coach Ivan Cleary has responded by today announcing major line-up changes for the club’s third-round NRL encounter with in-form Cronulla at Owen Delany Park in Taupo on Sunday.
One change was forced following yesterday’s confirmation veteran centre Jerome Ropati would miss the rest of the season after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during last Sunday’s game against St George Illawarra.
On Sunday night, Cleary indicated the make-up of the side was likely to alter for the Taupo trip following losses to Parramatta (18-24), Wests Tigers (12-20) and St George Illawarra (12-25).
As a result, three players have been recalled to the side. Glen Fisiiahi, who was injured in his NRL debut on the wing against Parramatta on March 12, returns to start at fullback while winger Bill Tupou comes into the side for the first time this season as does Ukuma Ta’ai, who will start in the second row. Set to make his NRL debut as Vodafone Warrior No 167 is utility Elijah Taylor, named on the interchange bench after being 18th man last week.
Of the 17 players used against the Dragons, four are out of the side – fullback Lance Hohaia, centre Joel Moon and halfback Brett Seymour plus the injured Ropati.
Apart from the new personnel coming in, there have been a number of positional changes with left wing Krisnan Inu, prop Russell Packer, second rower Lewis Brown, loose forward Micheal Luck and interchange front rower Ben Matulino the only players named in the same roles they started in against the Dragons last Sunday.
Fisiiahi, who played for the Auckland Vulcans last weekend, comes in for Hohaia in the No 1 jersey and Tupou, a 12-game NRL player last year, starts on the right wing with Kevin Locke moving to the bench. There’s a new centres combination of utility Shaun Berrigan and captain Simon Mannering while new recruit Feleti Mateo will start at standoff with James Maloney moving to halfback. Berrigan, the starting hooker against the Dragons, was used in the centres during the trials – he also played there extensively for Australia, Queensland and Brisbane – while Mannering has lined up in the centres on numerous occasions for both the Vodafone Warriors and the Kiwis. Likewise Mateo has a strong background in the No 6 jersey for both Parramatta and Tonga.
In the forwards, Jacob Lillyman is named to start at prop with Aaron Heremaia running on at hooker. Joining Brown and Luck in the back row for his 31st NRL appearance is Tongan international Ta’ai, used 20 times last season.
Joining Locke, Matulino and Taylor on the bench is Kiwi Sam Rapira – a starting prop last week – as well as hooker Alehana Mara, named in the No 18 jersey. He played three times for the Vodafone Warriors last year before having his season ended by injury.
Mannering said the players had expected changes to be made to the side after the loss to the Dragons.
“As players, we’re all disappointed with the way we’ve started this season. We haven’t been performing to the standards we expect of ourselves,” he said.
“With the changes made, it has been made clear to us that everyone has to perform to hold onto their spots. We’ve got depth in our squad and there’s plenty of competition for positions.
“There’s a long way to go this season but those of us who have been given the opportunity against Cronulla this week know we have to come up with a much improved effort.”
The Sharks are in a rich vein of form after shocking the Dragons 16-10 and pounding Penrith 44-12 in their last two outings.
VODAFONE WARRIORS v CRONULLA SHARKS
Owen Delany Park, Taupo
2.00pm, Sunday, April 3
Referees: Gavin Badger and Brett Suttor
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 GLEN FISIIAHI
2 BILL TUPOU
3 SHAUN BERRIGAN
4 SIMON MANNERING (c)
5 KRISNAN INU
6 FELETI MATEO
7 JAMES MALONEY
8 JACOB LILLYMAN
9 AARON HEREMAIA
10 RUSSELL PACKER
11 LEWIS BROWN
12 UKUMA TA’AI
13 MICHEAL LUCK
Interchange:
14 KEVIN LOCKE
15 SAM RAPIRA
16 BEN MATULINO
17 ELIJAH TAYLOR
18 ALEHANA MARA
COACH: IVAN CLEARY
