The team v Panthers

[Rich102]

Kevin Locke has been named at fullback while one Rapira comes in for another for the Vodafone Warriors’ 14th-round NRL match against Penrith at Centrebet Stadium next Monday night (9.00 kick-off New Zealand time).

Locke scored a try and kicked three goals from three attempts in his first full game in more than two months when he turned out for the Auckland Vulcans in their 18-32 New South Wales Cup loss to Newcastle last Saturday.

He comes in for Glen Fisiiahi, who was off the field for more than 20 minutes with a knee injury midway through the Vodafone Warriors’ 12-22 defeat by Melbourne on Sunday.

Returning to the side for the first time this season is front rower Steve Rapira, replacing his older brother Sam, who played just five minutes against the Storm before a triceps rupture in his left arm forced him off. He faces surgery and three months out of action.

The injury again denies the Rapira brothers the chance to play in an NRL match together for the first time, Sam being side-lined with a hand injury when Steve made four first-grade appearances last year.

“It’s encouraging to know Kevin came through the full 80 minutes for the Vulcans last weekend,” said Vodafone Warriors head coach Brian McClennan.

“He’d had next to no football for more than two months so it was important that he was able to play a full game.

“Once again it’s a tough time for Sam. He was just getting back into his work after time out with an ankle injury and now he’s out for a long time. It’s so disappointing for but Steve has been working his way back, getting minutes in for the Vulcans and he’s ready now to come back into the NRL.”

The tough-tackling younger Rapira (23) missed the start of the season with a high ankle sprain he received in the Vodafone Warriors’ trial against South Sydney in Coffs Harbour in February. He had to wait until May 12 for his comeback, appearing for the Vulcans against Windsor; since then he has played for them against Canterbury-Bankstown, Cronulla and Newcastle.

Locke played the first four games of the year before leaving the field with a leg injury late in the encounter with Gold Coast on March 24. He returned against Melbourne on Anzac Day but lasted just six minutes before being forced off with a sternum injury.

While Locke and Rapira are starting all over again, 11 players will be maintaining their sequence on Monday night of appearing in every match so far this season. Playing their 13th straight games of the season will be Bill Tupou, Ben Henry, Manu Vatuvei, James Maloney, Russell Packer, Ben Matulino, Elijah Taylor, Simon Mannering, Feleti Mateo, Lewis Brown and Sione Lousi. Matulino, Mateo and Mannering were also the only players to appear in each of the club’s 28 games in 2011.

Matulino (23) will play his 99th NRL match next Monday night, leaving him in line for his century of appearances when the Vodafone Warriors play Cronulla on Saturday, June 16. Front row partner Russell Packer, a foundation Vodafone Junior Warrior with Matulino in 2008, plays his 90th match next week while Vatuvei edges towards his 150th when he brings up game No 145. With his try on Sunday, he now has 95 career tries.
VODAFONE WARRIORS
1 KEVIN LOCKE
2 BILL TUPOU
3 BEN HENRY
4 KONRAD HURRELL
5 MANU VATUVEI
6 JAMES MALONEY
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
8 RUSSELL PACKER
9 ALEHANA MARA
10 BEN MATULINO
11 ELIJAH TAYLOR
12 SIMON MANNERING (c)
13 FELETI MATEO
Interchange:
14 LEWIS BROWN
15 STEVE RAPIRA
16 SIONE LOUSI
17 JACOB LILLYMAN
18 GLEN FISIIAHI
COACH: BRIAN McCLENNAN
Warrior's Website

 

[hitman82]

Ho hum ho hum.

At least Locke is back!
I'm keen to see how Glassbro Mk. 2 goes at prop.. presuming Lousi will keep playing as a second rower.
PLEASE more minutes for Alehana!

 

[Blair]

Gotta say the line-up always looks stronger with Locke at the back. I think we'll beat Penrith, which is not saying much.

As for Fish, well it was my first real look at him last week and he of course did his knee. He's not much chop in that tight, structured, formation we're playing is he? He'd suit a running game...perhaps rugby league 7s!

When you look at that backline v Panthers we know that Inu wasn't getting a start this season, given how things were going, so accepting that reality makes me feel better about losing him.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Bill Tupou is by far the better winger between him and Manu. If I wanted Manu to do the hard runs he should be a forward. He is not even a wingers a**hole at the moment and has no winger skillset that is necessary to be a modern day winger, speed and reading the plays are very poor from the beast.

And people want to get rid of Tupou? WFT? Management are not the only ones that has lost the plot some fans have as well

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Fish can be signed up somewhere else, he does f**k all and looks too fragile to be a 1st Grader. Omar I would rate higher than the Fish and that's even before a 1st grade debut on Omar's part.

 

[Mr Angry]

Strongest side all year.

Get that up ya Sanyo.

 

[Meth]

Great to have Locke back. Happy to see Steve Rapira as well.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Steve Rapira will make this game worth watching.

 

[ozbash]

The turn around begins..

 

[NZ Warrior]

It will be very interesting to see which Warriors, that Cleary targets. With such an intricate knowledge of the side, this will be a danger game for the Warriors.

If I was Bluey, I'd name a few debutants, to mess with Cleary's head.

 

[Blair]

The turn around begins..

Luck can't be too far away, surely? I thought he'd be back by now, but only by a week. I'm pinning a permanent turnaround on his return, if he comes back at all (ala Pricey) - the body might be gone.

He's a well known leader in defence, which is just what the weak, sickly patient needs.

 

[Iafeta]

Fish can be signed up somewhere else, he does f**k all and looks too fragile to be a 1st Grader. Omar I would rate higher than the Fish and that's even before a 1st grade debut on Omar's part.

Wait, so you want to replace someone who's injured a bit... with someone who's injured a bit?

 

[ozbash]

Wait, so you want to replace someone who's injured a bit... with someone who's injured a bit?

Omar and, to a degree, Carlos, are wasted in NYC. Have been for some time imo

They need to go to the next level, NSW Cup and play with men instead of boys, then NRL. Skill wise, they have what it takes but I dont think the toughness is quite there yet.

Hurrell needed time to settle into the demands of NRL.

Benry and ET were ready..

 

[Rich102]

I agree.

I hope Omar can get over his leg injuries. He hasn't really hit his straps at all this year. Is there a bit of bad feeling between him and the rest of the team? They seem to switch off when he has the ball and nobody looks for the pass.

Carlos has talent - just not sure it is at 6. How come he plays 6 for the juniors and 4 for the Vulcans? I think his future is at 4.

 

[beefstew]

I agree.

I hope Omar can get over his leg injuries. He hasn't really hit his straps at all this year. Is there a bit of bad feeling between him and the rest of the team? They seem to switch off when he has the ball and nobody looks for the pass.

Carlos has talent - just not sure it is at 6. How come he plays 6 for the juniors and 4 for the Vulcans? I think his future is at 4.

I think Carlos has as much ability as Maloney, he has a bit less pace, but makes up for it with a bit more size, which will make him far less
of a target on defense than stand-offs usually are.

Sj will eventually dominate the play making in the team, like most great halves do, which will make Carlos the ideal type of 6....probably
not next season, but it wont be long in my opinion.

 

[Iafeta]

Watching Carlos Tuimavave kick sometimes is like watching some of the production lines in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory... slow, cumbersome and loopy, and generally straight down the throat of a fullback. Mechanics for a good kicker just seem awry.

With them going to NYC, I was under the impression that they wouldn't be allowed to, as in, its an NRL requirement to have the best under 20's playing NYC, and not fast tracked into NSW Cup. I remember there was a bit of hoo-ha about it right at the beginning as it was suggested the Warriors intended to do exactly that, but were stopped from doing it.

 

[Meth]

Omar and, to a degree, Carlos, are wasted in NYC. Have been for some time imo

They need to go to the next level, NSW Cup and play with men instead of boys, then NRL. Skill wise, they have what it takes but I dont think the toughness is quite there yet.

Hurrell needed time to settle into the demands of NRL.

Benry and ET were ready..

:shock: I agree with you.

 

[Meth]

I'd like to see this asap for the Vulcans.

1. Omar
2. Fish

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Same was done with Johnson in Vulcans, from memory? Put him up there when still an Under-20 to toughen him up.

 

[spear tackle]

I'm sure Bill Topou was 19 when he first played for the topside and was not allowed to go back to U20's for the finals because he had played over a certain amount of games in first grade.