Finally some luck goes our way on the injury front.
Below is a late article from Foxsports
THE New Zealand Warriors lost their halves combination to injury today, with teenager Jerome Ropati and veteran Stacey Jones withdrawing from the NRL side to take on Parramatta tomorrow night.
The 19-year-old Ropati (wrist) and the 28-year-old Jones (leg) will miss the clash at Parramatta Stadium as the Warriors battle to avoid the embarrassment of collecting the wooden spoon.
Kiwi Test halfback Thomas Leuluai, 19, comes off the bench to replace Jones while 18th man Lance Hohaia slots into the five-eighth role.
It is the first NRL match Jones has missed this year, meaning fullback Brent Webb is the only Warrior to have played all 21 matches for the 14th-placed club.
Winger Cooper Vuna, who plays for Otahuhu Illerslie in the local Bartercard Cup competition, is set to make his first grade debut against the Eels, who beat Cronulla 44-22 last weekend.
Leuluai was New Zealand's halfback for the Anzac Test following the withdrawal of Jones, who felt his form didn't warrant a place in the squad.
But Leuluai fell out of favour with then Warriors coach Daniel Anderson and he was dropped from first grade for the club's next match.
Since then the youngster has drifted in and out of the Warriors squad.
Hohaia or centre Tony Martin are expected to take over the goal-kicking duties from Jones tomorrow night.
Meanwhile, Parramatta halfback Michael Witt said today he could empathise with the downward spiral of the Warriors but he certainly doesn't feel sorry for the once-proud club.
It is hard to believe the Eels were smashing club records on their way to a grand final berth in 2001 and the Warriors advanced to the decider the following year, with both sides bowing out as losers.
Fast forward to 2004 and the term "losers" becomes more apt, with the Eels and Warriors frustrating their fans with inept displays mixed with the occasional 80 minutes of commitment.
Asked if he was shocked at the Warriors' downfall considering they reached last year's preliminary final, Witt said today: "Yeah I guess so if you look at where they've been in the last couple of years.
"They've had a fall this year but everyone goes through that.
"It's been happening to us for the last three years so I don't have much sympathy for them.
"We're in the same boat and I know how they feel."
The Warriors beat the Eels 20-10 in a scrappy match at Ericsson Stadium in round 17 but they haven't won at Parramatta Stadium since their inaugural season of 1995.
With their final two matches against the Roosters and the Bulldogs, the Warriors will be hoping to beat Parramatta and Manly defeat Souths on Sunday to climb away from wooden spoon territory.
Eels fullback Wade McKinnon (shoulder) and five-eighth Adam Dykes (ribs) will be given until tomorrow to prove their fitness for the match.
Below is a late article from Foxsports
THE New Zealand Warriors lost their halves combination to injury today, with teenager Jerome Ropati and veteran Stacey Jones withdrawing from the NRL side to take on Parramatta tomorrow night.
The 19-year-old Ropati (wrist) and the 28-year-old Jones (leg) will miss the clash at Parramatta Stadium as the Warriors battle to avoid the embarrassment of collecting the wooden spoon.
Kiwi Test halfback Thomas Leuluai, 19, comes off the bench to replace Jones while 18th man Lance Hohaia slots into the five-eighth role.
It is the first NRL match Jones has missed this year, meaning fullback Brent Webb is the only Warrior to have played all 21 matches for the 14th-placed club.
Winger Cooper Vuna, who plays for Otahuhu Illerslie in the local Bartercard Cup competition, is set to make his first grade debut against the Eels, who beat Cronulla 44-22 last weekend.
Leuluai was New Zealand's halfback for the Anzac Test following the withdrawal of Jones, who felt his form didn't warrant a place in the squad.
But Leuluai fell out of favour with then Warriors coach Daniel Anderson and he was dropped from first grade for the club's next match.
Since then the youngster has drifted in and out of the Warriors squad.
Hohaia or centre Tony Martin are expected to take over the goal-kicking duties from Jones tomorrow night.
Meanwhile, Parramatta halfback Michael Witt said today he could empathise with the downward spiral of the Warriors but he certainly doesn't feel sorry for the once-proud club.
It is hard to believe the Eels were smashing club records on their way to a grand final berth in 2001 and the Warriors advanced to the decider the following year, with both sides bowing out as losers.
Fast forward to 2004 and the term "losers" becomes more apt, with the Eels and Warriors frustrating their fans with inept displays mixed with the occasional 80 minutes of commitment.
Asked if he was shocked at the Warriors' downfall considering they reached last year's preliminary final, Witt said today: "Yeah I guess so if you look at where they've been in the last couple of years.
"They've had a fall this year but everyone goes through that.
"It's been happening to us for the last three years so I don't have much sympathy for them.
"We're in the same boat and I know how they feel."
The Warriors beat the Eels 20-10 in a scrappy match at Ericsson Stadium in round 17 but they haven't won at Parramatta Stadium since their inaugural season of 1995.
With their final two matches against the Roosters and the Bulldogs, the Warriors will be hoping to beat Parramatta and Manly defeat Souths on Sunday to climb away from wooden spoon territory.
Eels fullback Wade McKinnon (shoulder) and five-eighth Adam Dykes (ribs) will be given until tomorrow to prove their fitness for the match.
