Vodafone Warriors Sign Vatuvei And Mannering To End Of 2009
Winger Manu Vatuvei and utility Simon Mannering have strengthened the Vodafone Warriors’ future by signing with the club until the end of the 2009 National Rugby League season.
Vatuvei (20), who featured in all five tests in the Kiwis’ triumphant 2005 Tri-Nations campaign, today agreed terms for a contract extension while Mannering (19), the club’s 2005 rookie of the year, has been signed for a further two years with an option for a third. Vodafone Warriors head coach Ivan Cleary said securing two of the club’s most talented young players was a huge boost.
“Manu made enormous strides in 2005, going on to become a quality test player, and Simon showed in his initial first-grade appearances last year that’s he has the ability to make a big impact in the game,†he said.
“Part of our philosophy is keeping as much of the best young New Zealand talent in the country as possible and we’ve certainly succeeded in doing that with these two players.
“They’re both important to the Vodafone Warriors’ future as we seek to develop a core of players.â€Â
The signings of Vatuvei and Mannering come just two weeks after vice-captain Ruben Wiki extended his contract by a year, taking him through to the end of the 2008 season.
The 109kg Vatuvei made his NRL debut as an 18-year-old in 2004. A hamstring injury has kept him out of the Vodafone Warriors’ last three matches after he had scored in each of the first four games of the season, stretching his try-scoring sequence to 13 tries in his last 15 first-grade outings.
Mannering, able to play in the centres or the back row, made the first of his seven NRL appearances against Brisbane last June. His start to the 2006 season was hampered by a stress fracture in his leg but he has been back in action at Bartercard Cup level for the last two weeks, scoring three tries for the Wellington Orcas.
Cleary credited the club’s Allied Work Force elite development programme for successfully identifying and preparing players like Vatuvei and Mannering for the NRL. This had been reinforced just this month with Patrick Ah Van and Misi Taulapapa making their first-grade debuts for the Vodafone Warriors.
Cleary said he expected more graduates from the system would be seen playing in the NRL this season.
While announcing the Vatuvei and Mannering signings, the Vodafone Warriors also completed a restructuring of their football department today by confirming Dayne Norton’s signing to fill the new position of sports science co-ordinator.
The son of Kiwi assistant coach Graeme Norton, Dayne was the New Zealand team’s trainer for last year’s Tri-Nations campaign and has previously worked for the Vodafone Warriors as a trainer.
MANU VATUVEI
Born: March 4, 1986
Birthplace: Auckland
Position: Winger
Height: 189cm
Weight: 109kg
Junior Club: Otahuhu
Secondary School: Sir Edmund Hillary College (Auckland)
NRL Debut: Vodafone Warriors v South Sydney, Aussie Stadium, May
23, 2004 (Round 11)
NRL Career: Vodafone Warriors - 21 games, 13 tries
Rep Honours: New Zealand (2005) 5 Tests, 3 tries
SIMON MANNERING
Born: August 28, 1986
Birthplace: Napier
Position: Centre/back row
Height: 190cm
Weight: 98kg
Junior Club: Wellington
Secondary School: Nelson College (Nelson)
NRL Debut: Vodafone Warriors v Brisbane, June 26, 2005 (Round 16)
NRL Career: Vodafone Warriors - 7 games