What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Trial vs Wests Tigers

Rich102

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,762
We are one day away from welcoming one of Whangārei's favourite sons, Adam Blair, back to town before the New Zealand Warriors take on the Wests Tigers on Saturday.

Blair will visit two of his former schools while in Northland, his primary school Te Kura o Ōtangarei (on Thursday) and Whangārei Boys High School (tomorrow). From tomorrow, the Warriors will visit 13 schools over three days to raise the profile of league in Northland,

Hundreds of kids from Northland league clubs will also attend the Club Cluster event featuring skills and drills sessions with the entire Warriors squad at Northland Events Centre on Thursday. At the end of the session, there will be a barbecue hosted by the team at MITRE 10 Whangārei where each child will be given boot laces and a mouth guard for the upcoming season.

The Warriors will host a captain's run at the Northland Events Centre on Friday, March 1, from 10am to noon that is open to the public. Players will also be available to fans straight after the main game on the field on game day.

The game kicks off at 3pm on Saturday, March 2, at the Northland Events Centre.

The Northern Advocate has two double passes in the grandstand for the Warriors v Tigers game to give away to any league fan keen to watch this blockbuster game live.

All you have to do is email your name and contact phone details to competitions@nzme.co.nz with the word "Warriors" in the subject line, by tomorrow, February 27. Two names will be drawn out of a hat and the lucky winners will be contacted.

www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503448&objectid=12207052
 

Rich102

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,762
Here you go Angry.

Hooker Issac Luke will be the only player from the Vodafone Warriors’ NRL squad missing from the line-up for the club’s second and final preseason trial against Wests Tigers at the Northland Events Centre in Whangarei on Saturday (5.00pm kick-off).

While head coach Stephen Kearney is yet to name the line-up for the ‘Northland Clash’, he confirmed after today’s field session that Luke was the only player ruled out.

However, Kearney added he was optimistic the Kiwi international would be available for the season-opening clash against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

Bully (Luke) won’t be there this week,” he said.

“He’s ticking along as well as I would like. I’m pretty comfortable that he would be potentially right for round one. The next week and a half is critical for him.”

While Luke is unavailable, local fans and those travelling north from Auckland can expect to see the rest of the Vodafone Warriors’ top players including captain and 2018 Dally M Medal winner Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Northland born and bred veteran Adam Blair, key playmaker Blake Green, new signings Leeson Ah Mau, Adam Keighran and Lachlan Burr plus other Kiwis Ken Maumalo, Peta Hiku, Gerard Beale, Tohu Harris, Agnatius Paasi and Isaiah Papali’i, Tonga internationals David Fusitu’a and Solomone Kata and Samoa Test forwards Jazz Tevaga, Bunty Afoa and Sam Lisone. Set to start his second straight trial is hooker Nate Roache, who impressed so much in his comeback appearance against the Melbourne Storm last Friday night after being side-lined for the whole of 2018 following back surgery.

Standoff Chanel Harris-Tavita and seasoned centre Blake Ayshford, who both featured in the 12-6 trial win over the Storm, are also in contention. Keighran, Burr, Papali’i, Lisone and Afoa all played against the Storm, too, while Tevaga was stripped but wasn’t used.

Kearney welcomed the rare opportunity for the Vodafone Warriors to have their two top teams in action on the same day in Whangarei.

“It’s fantastic,” said Kearney.

“The last game I was involved there was when the Kiwis played Samoa in the Four Nations in 2014. That was a wonderful day for rugby league in Northland.

“We have a few boys in Adam (Blair), Paul Turner from our reserve grade and Brody (Tamarua) who are all from up that way. It’s always nice to go back and play in front of grass roots people.”

Five of the Vodafone Warriors’ NRL squad have been named to line up for the Intrust Super Premiership side in its trial against Western Suburbs Magpies in the early game on Saturday (2.15pm kick-off).

Hayze Perham is listed at standoff along with prop Chris Satae, hooker Karl Lawton and back rowers Leivaha Pulu and Ligi Sao; Perham, Satae and Sao all played in the Storm clash.

Many of the rest of the ISP squad were also in Geelong last Friday night – outside backs Paul Turner, Neria Fomai, Adam Pompey, Patrick Herbert and Lewis Soosemea, halfback Api Pewhairangi, prop Tom Ale, second rower Brody Tamarua and interchange hooker Sam Cook.

The other eight players on the bench for the Nathan Cayless-coached side, were involved in the 40-24 ISP trial win over the Canterbury Bulls last Saturday – Clayton Williams, Preston Riki, Phillip Makatoa, Paulos Latu, Israel Ogden, Edward Kosi, Tahi Baggaley and Patrick Elia.

ISP TRIAL
VODAFONE WARRIORS v WESTERN SUBURBS MAGPIES

2.15pm, Saturday, March 2, 2019

Northland Events Centre, Northland



VODAFONE WARRIORS

1 PAUL TURNER

2 NERIA FOMAI

3 ADAM POMPEY

4 PATRICK HERBERT

5 LEWIS SOOSEMEA

6 HAYZE PERHAM

7 API PEWHAIRANGI

8 CHRIS SATAE

9 KARL LAWTON

10 TOM ALE

11 BRODY TAMARUA

12 LEIVAHA PULU

13 LIGI SAO

Interchange:

14 SAM COOK

15 CLAYTON WILLIAMS

16 PRESTON RIKI

17 PHILLIP MAKATOA

18 PAULOS LATU

20 ISRAEL OGDEN

21 EDWARD KOSI

22 TAHI BAGGALEY

23 PATRICK ELIA

HEAD COACH | NATHAN CAYLESS

www.warriors.kiwi/news/2019/02/27/vodafone-warriors-fielding-strong-line-up/
 

Rich102

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,762
There is an open training session at the Northland Events Center on Friday from 10AM to Noon with a meet-the-fans session afterwards.
 

sup42

Juniors
Messages
2,466
Deleted my post after seeing an updated team lol.

Can't wait for the game.
 
Last edited:

Leber

Bench
Messages
3,959
I’ve made the drive. Nice weather, good seats, let’s give the tigers a hiding.
 

Fufu Andronez

First Grade
Messages
8,464
Interesting that Kata is playing right centre inside Fus with Maumalo on the left wing outside Hiku.

Maumalo scored a try in the first 5 minutes...
 

Latest posts

Top