Team List Godinet & Fisiiahi included in 19 man squad flying out to Melbourne

[Miket12]

​

​

​

​

Pita Godinet and Glen Fisiiahi have been included in a 19-man Vodafone Warriors squad flying out to Melbourne.​

Source : NZ Warriors

Auckland, New Zealand, April 23, 2012 - Pita Godinet and Glen Fisiiahi have been included in a 19-man squad for the Vodafone Warriors’ eighth-round NRL match against the Storm at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Anzac Day (Wednesday). Head coach Brian McClennan said the pair had been added as cover for Kiwi internationals Manu Vatuvei and halfback Shaun Johnson.

Vatuvei and Johnson, both feeling the effects of Friday night’s 12-20 Anzac Test loss to Australia, didn’t train with the Vodafone Warriors yesterday but have both been named to start in the traditional Anzac Day match against Melbourne.

Brought back into the team travelling to Melbourne later this afternoon is fullback Kevin Locke, who has recovered from the leg injury which kept him out of the Vodafone Warriors’ last three matches against the Sydney Roosters, Canberra and South Sydney. He replaces Jerome Ropati, who is out of contention for the Michael Moore Trophy duel after being forced off the field with a hamstring injury 47 minutes into the 44-22 victory against South Sydney on April 15.“We’re hoping Manu and Shaun will be right to play on Wednesday night but we’re taking Glen and Pita as cover,” said McClennan.
“Jerome was great for us against the Rabbitohs but his hamstring isn’t quite right. At the same time, Kevin is now recovered so he comes back in.”

Ben Henry, the players’ player of the day against the Rabbitohs, and Krisnan Inu are both named to start in the centres again. Wednesday’s match will be Inu’s 99th NRL appearance giving him the chance of playing his 100th in the Vodafone Warriors’ home match against the Brisbane Broncos on May 5 (match day sponsor: Lion Red).

McClennan has named the same starting forward pack initially chosen for the South Sydney match although he subsequently made two swaps with Russell Packer starting in the front row instead of Sione Lousi and Lewis Brown coming in for Feleti Mateo. Mateo backs up on Wednesday night after turning out for City Origin in Mudgee yesterday; captain Simon Mannering and prop Ben Matulino will also be back on deck after fronting for the Kiwis last Friday night.

The Vodafone Warriors had the distinction of beating Melbourne in the two meetings between the sides at AAMI Park last year, first the Anzac Day match and then the preliminary final which put the club into the NRL grand final for only the second time. However, Melbourne won the other regular season match-up at Mount Smart Stadium.

While Inu is nearing his 100-game milestone, bench forward Ukuma Ta’ai is closing in on his 50th appearance, playing his 48th first-grade match on Wednesday night.
With his 12 points against South Sydney, James Maloney has now scored 450 for the Vodafone Warriors, moving ahead of Ivan Cleary (439) on the club’s list of highest points-scorers. Only Stacey Jones (674) has scored more.

VODAFONE WARRIORS
COACH: BRIAN McCLENNAN
1 KEVIN LOCKE
2 BILL TUPOU
3 BEN HENRY
4 KRISNAN INU
5 MANU VATUVEI
6 JAMES MALONEY
7 SHAUN JOHNSON
8 SIONE LOUSI
9 NATHAN FRIEND
10 BEN MATULINO
11 FELETI MATEO
12 SIMON MANNERING (c)
13 ELIJAH TAYLOR

Interchange:
14 RUSSELL PACKER
15 UKUMA TA’AI
16 LEWIS BROWN
17 SAM RAPIRA
18 PITA GODINET
20 GLEN FISIIAHI

 

[ToiletDuck]

Wow Inu retains his spot. Was not expecting that. Good to see Kevin back...is Fish on that extended bench for any other reason other than they're still not 100% certain re Kevin's corked thigh?

Btw good work with the thread prefix!

 

[Miket12]

Wow Inu retains his spot. Was not expecting that. Good to see Kevin back...is Fish on that extended bench for any other reason other than they're still not 100% certain re Kevin's corked thigh?

Btw good work with the thread prefix!

Looks like the Fish has been taken over a cover for Manu (and Godinet for Johnson)

 

[Lego_Man]

I like that team. Centres look nice.

I'm not sure they should risk Shaun Johnson though if there's any doubt, God has been in good form by all accounts. It's the kind of situation where you think we'd probably give him a run if we were 5/7, not so much with our current record.

 

[Dankokoro 2.0]

Would be great if we pulled a win out of the hat.. It seems unlikely though, especially with our injury concerns. Still, i always give us a shot against Melbourne. We've upset them so many times it'd be foolish to not consider it a possibility.

Radio said that Manu has the biggest question mark over his fitness with his ankle injury..

 

[Dankokoro 2.0]

Wow Inu retains his spot. Was not expecting that. Good to see Kevin back...is Fish on that extended bench for any other reason other than they're still not 100% certain re Kevin's corked thigh?

Btw good work with the thread prefix!

I'm sure he'd have missed out if J-ro was fit..

 

[Mixmasterreece]

Fish is there to cover manu.

 

[Spence]

I would definitely be interested to see Fisiiahi play on the wing again. Also, lucky it's an ankle injury, not another hamstring/knee thing for Manu. I wouldn't mind seeing Godinet play either, obviously would much rather Johnson be fit, but Godinet is a more than handy replacement in the halves.

 

[Dankokoro 2.0]

I would definitely be interested to see Fisiiahi play on the wing again. Also, lucky it's an ankle injury, not another hamstring/knee thing for Manu. I wouldn't mind seeing Godinet play either, obviously would much rather Johnson be fit, but Godinet is a more than handy replacement in the halves.

I think i'd prefer Inu on the wing and Simon in the centres.. Fish on the wing just does not inspire confidence... who knows though, he might do alright..

 

[Spence]

I not necessarily think it would be a good idea, I just think it would be interesting. Regardless of the hate for Fisiiahi, I still think he's a tremendous athlete who obviously has a future in the NRL - here or at another club.

 

[fanrrior]

If Johnson is playing i'd still like to see Godinet on the bench for Ta'ai just in case. I hate to say it but Ta'ai just doesn't bring anything different to the squad as a prop. I don't know what he's missing from last year but for his sake I hope he finds it.

 

[Dankokoro 2.0]

If Johnson is playing i'd still like to see Godinet on the bench for Ta'ai just in case. I hate to say it but Ta'ai just doesn't bring anything different to the squad as a prop. I don't know what he's missing from last year but for his sake I hope he finds it.

He was playing in the back row, so running a lot wider..

 

[Spence]

Yeah, I like Ta'ai out wide better - I don't think he's so effective at running at multiple defenders.

 

[Fazz]

Play Godinet. Tai'ai does next to nothing, so even if Pita gets DCE'd and plays no minutes we're not missing out on anything. I'd love to see Pita get 10 minutes at the end of each half...I reckon he'd cause some mayhem. I'm not sure how well Johnson will handle two games so close together either, so to me carrying Pita is almost a must. Shitlennan will play Tai'ai though, and then Johnson will inevitably have to come off at some point with our luck, causing a major reshuffle and a hammering.

No to Fish. I'm with DK on his call of Mannering to centres and Inu to wing. With those two there you've got a much more solid defensive pairing and it would lessen Mannering's workload in theory. I think that would be a good thing after a short turnaround.

 

[Blain]

Al Mac was saying he thought Locke could be a week or 2 away.. But Radiosport are reporting Manu and Johnson are the ones they are concerned about.

Happy with the squad, I think its a good thing Hurrell is doing a bit of an trainee scheme through the Vulcans.

 

[Spence]

I agree Blain, I don't think it's a bad thing that Hurrell is learning his trade in the Vulcans. He came into the NRL with the completely wrong mindset - whether than was his own doing or coaches choice - he went away from the all round game that made him such a great player for the Juniors and became a one-dimensional hit up merchant. Perhaps that is being harsh, he has had limited time to prove his wares, and maybe he was just getting involved. Either way, as we've seen in Johnson, playing in the Vulcans for a while isn't a bad thing.

I agree with Pita Fazz, there isn't really anyone there to cover halves, as our hooker is an out and out hooker, and our bench utility is anything but. Pita would be the obvious choice for the #14 spot if Johnson has a question mark over his head.

 

[ToiletDuck]

Well, if there's any doubt at all re Johnson I'd prefer he didn't play? I suppose there's an argument both ways, our poor start to the season has placed more importance on these games than we would have hoped. I only think Godinet should be included if it's as an extra option at hooker. There isn't much point putting a guy on the bench in anticipation of your halfback being injured mid-game. If that did happen, the likely scenario would be Mateo to 5/8, Jabroni to 7.

 

[Fazz]

I would just not play him even if he's fine tbh. Melbourne will more than likely smoke us anyway since he'll probably be buggered from the test and won't do anything of note other than miss tackles. Give the bloke a decent rest, let Godinet have a crack at 7 in his absence.

Then again, Johnson may pull a Thurston and go nuts after playing rep footy...

 

[fanrrior]

Well, if there's any doubt at all re Johnson I'd prefer he didn't play? I suppose there's an argument both ways, our poor start to the season has placed more importance on these games than we would have hoped. I only think Godinet should be included if it's as an extra option at hooker. There isn't much point putting a guy on the bench in anticipation of your halfback being injured mid-game. If that did happen, the likely scenario would be Mateo to 5/8, Jabroni to 7.

You mean like DCE

 

[ToiletDuck]

You mean like DCE

Well DCE wasn't included in anticipation of injury. That Australian team had the luxury of including an extra half on the bench (a la QLD Origin team) as their forward pack has a few 80 minute players. Luke Lewis, Gallen, Thaiday, Smith...

DCE ended up being surplus to requirement and I'm guessing Sheens didn't insert him as the game was tight.