ozbash
Referee
- Messages
- 26,922
Wade McKinnon makes his return from suspension for the Vodafone Warriors preliminary final against Manly in week three of the NRL play-offs at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday.
McKinnon (28) was today named in his regular position of fullback for just his fifth appearance of a season disrupted by a long lay-off after major knee surgery and then interrupted by a three-match ban on a contrary conduct charge.
Before the suspension, McKinnon had scored three tries in his first four matches back from injury.
His return results in Lance Hohaia reverting to the interchange role he filled when McKinnon came back into the side against Brisbane last month. In McKinnons absence Hohaia has again impressed at fullback.
I cant say enough about the job Lance has done. Hes been terrific for us all year in a position he was asked to fill when Wade was sidelined, said Cleary.
Its really tough on Lance but Wade is our first-choice fullback and he showed what a quality player he is in that position the moment he came back from his lay-off.
The McKinnon-Hohaia swap is predictably the only change to the starting line-up that won 30-13 last Friday night to eliminate the Sydney Roosters from the finals race.
Saturday nights match will be poignant for captain Steve Price and fellow prop Evarn Tuimavave. Theyll both move within one match of landmark appearances, Price with his 299th first-grade match since his debut in 1994 and Tuimavave his 99th since his first in 2002. At the same time, Manlys Steve Menzies will play his 348th match, one short of equalling Terry Lambs all-time competition record of 349.
Price is set to become only the 11th player in history to play 300 first-grade games team-mate Ruben Wiki became the 10th earlier this season while Tuimavave is poised to join 12 other players who have appeared in 100 first-grade matches for the Vodafone Warriors.
In the last month the Vodafone Warriors have won four consecutive sudden-death matches. They beat Penrith (42-20) and Parramatta (28-6) to claim a spot in the top eight before going on to account for Melbourne 18-15 and then the Roosters to move within one win of making the clubs second grand final appearance.
Having won two matches at home and two away in the last month, the Vodafone Warriors head into the 12th finals match in the clubs history with a 15 win-11 loss record so far this season. In finals matches they now have a record of six wins and five losses.
In winning 10 of their last 12 matches, the Vodafone Warriors have included successes against Melbourne (twice), Cronulla, Brisbane and the Roosters but they havent been able to beat Manly in three attempts this year, losing a pre-season trial on the Sunshine Coast, being humiliated 6-52 at Brookvale Oval in March and then dropping their home clash 14-20 in June.
You look at Manly and you just cant find weaknesses, said Cleary.
Theyve played extremely well this season and well need a huge effort in all areas if were to be in contention against them. We played very well in the second half against the Roosters but well need to be at that level from the outset to stay in the game with Manly.
The Sea Eagles have had a week off since trouncing St George Illawarra 38-6 in week one of the finals series.
Vodafone Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei made it 16 tries in 16 matches this season with his touchdown against the Roosters, giving him 45 in 74 appearances overall (fourth behind Stacey Jones, Francis Meli and Clinton Toopi on the clubs all-time list). He is now fourth on the NRLs 2008 try-scoring list with Manly fullback Brett Stewart leading on 20 in 22 games. Vatuvei also lies second on the list for most line breaks with 19, just behind Slater who has 21 but he has played 22 games.
With 27 tackles against the Roosters, loose forward Micheal Luck is once again the NRLs leading tackler with 928, well clear of Parramattas Nathan Hindmarsh (909).
McKinnon (28) was today named in his regular position of fullback for just his fifth appearance of a season disrupted by a long lay-off after major knee surgery and then interrupted by a three-match ban on a contrary conduct charge.
Before the suspension, McKinnon had scored three tries in his first four matches back from injury.
His return results in Lance Hohaia reverting to the interchange role he filled when McKinnon came back into the side against Brisbane last month. In McKinnons absence Hohaia has again impressed at fullback.
I cant say enough about the job Lance has done. Hes been terrific for us all year in a position he was asked to fill when Wade was sidelined, said Cleary.
Its really tough on Lance but Wade is our first-choice fullback and he showed what a quality player he is in that position the moment he came back from his lay-off.
The McKinnon-Hohaia swap is predictably the only change to the starting line-up that won 30-13 last Friday night to eliminate the Sydney Roosters from the finals race.
Saturday nights match will be poignant for captain Steve Price and fellow prop Evarn Tuimavave. Theyll both move within one match of landmark appearances, Price with his 299th first-grade match since his debut in 1994 and Tuimavave his 99th since his first in 2002. At the same time, Manlys Steve Menzies will play his 348th match, one short of equalling Terry Lambs all-time competition record of 349.
Price is set to become only the 11th player in history to play 300 first-grade games team-mate Ruben Wiki became the 10th earlier this season while Tuimavave is poised to join 12 other players who have appeared in 100 first-grade matches for the Vodafone Warriors.
In the last month the Vodafone Warriors have won four consecutive sudden-death matches. They beat Penrith (42-20) and Parramatta (28-6) to claim a spot in the top eight before going on to account for Melbourne 18-15 and then the Roosters to move within one win of making the clubs second grand final appearance.
Having won two matches at home and two away in the last month, the Vodafone Warriors head into the 12th finals match in the clubs history with a 15 win-11 loss record so far this season. In finals matches they now have a record of six wins and five losses.
In winning 10 of their last 12 matches, the Vodafone Warriors have included successes against Melbourne (twice), Cronulla, Brisbane and the Roosters but they havent been able to beat Manly in three attempts this year, losing a pre-season trial on the Sunshine Coast, being humiliated 6-52 at Brookvale Oval in March and then dropping their home clash 14-20 in June.
You look at Manly and you just cant find weaknesses, said Cleary.
Theyve played extremely well this season and well need a huge effort in all areas if were to be in contention against them. We played very well in the second half against the Roosters but well need to be at that level from the outset to stay in the game with Manly.
The Sea Eagles have had a week off since trouncing St George Illawarra 38-6 in week one of the finals series.
Vodafone Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei made it 16 tries in 16 matches this season with his touchdown against the Roosters, giving him 45 in 74 appearances overall (fourth behind Stacey Jones, Francis Meli and Clinton Toopi on the clubs all-time list). He is now fourth on the NRLs 2008 try-scoring list with Manly fullback Brett Stewart leading on 20 in 22 games. Vatuvei also lies second on the list for most line breaks with 19, just behind Slater who has 21 but he has played 22 games.
With 27 tackles against the Roosters, loose forward Micheal Luck is once again the NRLs leading tackler with 928, well clear of Parramattas Nathan Hindmarsh (909).
VODAFONE WARRIORS v MANLY SEA EAGLES
Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
7.45pm, Saturday, September 27
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1
WADE McKINNON
2
AIDAN KIRK
3
BRENT TATE
4
JEROME ROPATI
5
MANU VATUVEI
6
MICHAEL WITT
7
NATHAN FIEN
8
RUBEN WIKI
9
IAN HENDERSON
10
STEVE PRICE (c)
11
SIMON MANNERING
12
BEN MATULINO
13
MICHEAL LUCK
Interchange (tqo to be omitted):
LANCE HOHAIA
EPALAHAME LAUAKI
SAM RAPIRA
GRANT ROVELLI
LOGAN SWANN
EVARN TUIMAVAVE
COACH: IVAN CLEARY
http://warriors.sitesuite.ws/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=25002
Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
7.45pm, Saturday, September 27
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1
WADE McKINNON
2
AIDAN KIRK
3
BRENT TATE
4
JEROME ROPATI
5
MANU VATUVEI
6
MICHAEL WITT
7
NATHAN FIEN
8
RUBEN WIKI
9
IAN HENDERSON
10
STEVE PRICE (c)
11
SIMON MANNERING
12
BEN MATULINO
13
MICHEAL LUCK
Interchange (tqo to be omitted):
LANCE HOHAIA
EPALAHAME LAUAKI
SAM RAPIRA
GRANT ROVELLI
LOGAN SWANN
EVARN TUIMAVAVE
COACH: IVAN CLEARY
http://warriors.sitesuite.ws/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=25002
