General Team V Tigers.....Lance dropped

[PHANTOM MENACE_old]

MILESTONE MOMENTS FOR GUTTENBEIL AND GATIS AGAINST WESTS TIGERS
Veteran Awen Guttenbeil and off-season signing George Gatis are set to achieve contrasting personal milestones in the Vodafone Warriors’ “away†NRL encounter with Wests Tigers in Christchurch on Saturday night.
For Guttenbeil (30), the match will be the 150th of his 11-year first-grade career while Gatis’ will make his first NRL appearance in almost three years on a day that coincides with his 28th birthday (March 25).
A 24-game hooker with North Queensland from 2001-03, he will start in the No 9 jersey at Jade Stadium while Guttenbeil will have Wairangi Koopu back as his starting second-row partner. The changes mean Micheal Luck reverts to the bench while Lance Hohaia makes way for Gatis’ introduction. Travelling to Christchurch as 18th man will be promising utility back Patrick Ah Van, who turned 18 on St Patrick’s Day (March 17).
“This is an important match for everyone but it’s extra special for both Awen and George,†said Vodafone Warriors head coach Ivan Cleary today.
“I had the good fortune to play alongside Awen and have the greatest admiration for him. It’s a tribute to his dedication and tenacity that he has reached 150 games after so many setbacks earlier in his career.â€Â
Gatis has also overcome major reverses. The last time he played at this level was in July 2003.
He broke his right arm before the 2003 competition started and his comeback lasted only one match when he needed a left knee reconstruction after the Cowboys’ match against the Bulldogs in round 20 that season.
The Townsville-born Australian of Greek heritage eventually made his return via Western Suburbs in Sydney’s premier league competition in late 2004 and played for Centrals in Townsville last year before being offered a chance to revive his first-grade career with the Vodafone Warriors.
“George deserves so much credit for the way he has gone about things since coming to Auckland,†said Cleary.
“A foot injury meant he was unable to be part of our trials last month but he has been outstanding playing for our Allied Work Force elite development side.
“We’ve talked to Lance about the decision to go with George in this match and he has been terrific about it. George has earned this opportunity and he’s excited about it.â€Â
Guttenbeil began his first-grade career coming off the bench in the Warriors’ 12-8 win over North Sydney in Auckland on April 14, 1996, but it began a period when a string of injuries restricted him to only 34 matches in his first five years as a first grader. Guttenbeil has had both shoulders reconstructed, an arthroscopy on his left shoulder, two hernias, a right knee reconstruction, three arthroscopes on his right knee, a broken left ankle, reconstruction of that ankle and two broken noses.
In the second half of his career he has been one of the club’s most durable players, appearing in 115 of the Vodafone Warriors’ last 131 matches. He’s one of only 10 players to appear in 100 matches for the club and just the second after Stacey Jones to clock up 150 appearances.
In the corresponding Wests Tigers-Vodafone Warriors match in Christchurch last year, the Tigers won 24-6.
The Vodafone Warriors go into the match with a chance of becoming the second-fastest club in the competition’s 98-year history to reach 1000 tries. The Brisbane Broncos head the list reaching the target in 237 matches while South Sydney is second on 268 matches; so far the Vodafone Warriors have totalled 994 tries in 266 matches.
Due to New Zealand ending daylight saving last weekend, the match starts at the earlier time of 6.30pm.
The referee is Paul Simpkins.

VODAFONE WARRIORS V WESTS TIGERS

Jade Stadium, Christchurch

6.30pm, Saturday, March 25



VODAFONE WARRIORS TEAM

1
BRENT WEBB

2
TODD BYRNE

3
TONY MARTIN

4
CLINTONTOOPI

5
MANU VATUVEI

6
JEROME ROPATI

7
NATHAN FIEN

8
RUBEN WIKI (V-C)

9
GEORGE GATIS

10
STEVE PRICE (C)

11
AWEN GUTTENBEIL

12
WAIRANGI KOOPU

13
LOUIS ANDERSON

14
GRANT ROVELLI

15
EVARN TUIMAVAVE

16
EPALAHAME LAUAKI

17
MICHEAL LUCK

18TH MAN: PATRICK AH VAN

 

[Robster_old]

What are you thinking Cleary, what the hell has Rovelli done wrong not to earn a starting spot and what has Lance done wrong to get dropped instead of Nathan Fien? Not a good side mate.

 

[PHANTOM MENACE_old]

Good to see Koopu starting but im pissed that Toopi is playing. Lance should be in ahead of him.

Anyways goodluck to Gatis, believe we will win this one

 

[JonB_old]

I hope Gattis is all that.

 

[Robster_old]

I hope Gattis is all that.

his opposing number 9 is a player on debut so you would expect him to win that battle.

 

[JonB_old]

What do people know about Patrick Ah van?

 

[PHANTOM MENACE_old]

He is 18th man

 

[PHANTOM MENACE_old]

Where you sitting at Jade Jon

 

[commonsense_old]

the only explanation i can think of is that hohaia is injured. there is no way he should be dropped otherwise.

i wouldve liked to see tuakura get a run.

 

[Iafeta_old]

I feel for Hohaia, I really do. What'd he do wrong? He looked at least half likely to make a break.

Georgey Gatis though, happy for him. I remember him being an above average player for Nth Qld, except when we played the Cowboys at Ericsson in round 26 of 2002, when we were expected to roar home and avoid playing Parramatta away. George Gatis killed us, two tries, set up another, he won them the game. How ironic he's with us now.

Can't believe Fien and Ropo are the halves, somebody please pass me the vodka because Saturday night looks a painful one...

 

[Paul Holmes_old]

fien should have been dropped not hohaia.. i also wanna see big george get a run over somebody like lauaki who hasnt shown anything.. not impressed with ivans teams selections so far

 

[BigD_old]

What do people know about Patrick Ah van?

Date of Birth: 17/3/1988
Position: Utility back
Height: 183cm
Weight: 91kg
Nickname:
NRL Debut: Yet to play first grade
Previous Clubs: Te Atatu, Mt Albert
Honours: Junior Kiwis 2005

Bio: The 17-year-old Patrick Ah Van is another talented youngster that has burst onto the Warriors scene.

While he hasn't played first grade, many people expect him to do so in 2006 and he is widely tipped as the club's most promising back.

He can play any position from fullback to wing and centre.

2006 Outlook: Another who will probably have to watch the rest of the squad start the year but seems destined to receive a call up at some stage during the year.

A number of former players suggest he is the Warriors best talent.


GREAT to see Wairangi getting a full game at last

 

[PHANTOM MENACE_old]

Sounds good

 

[ozbash_old]

ive seen patrick play b/card and he is a definite talent.

better team this week, still a couple of head scratchers with fein at half and lauaki on the bench but i guess he,s got to try.

hohaia hurt ? must be, he,s certainly doesnt seem to have done anything wrong during the last 2 games..

hopefully we,ll see a lot of rovelli at half in Ch Ch, prince will do fein like a hot dinner.

onya wai koopu. this is where i feel more confident about the result but its gunna be tough.

 

[sebastian_old]

I doubte hohia's injured as cleary, says hes talked to hohia and hohia's terrific about it. YEAH A PLAYERS TERRIFIC ABOUT GETTING DROPED!!
Fien has the talent of a hooker and hohia has the talent of a half. SO WHY AREN"T THEY PLAYING THERE!! I HAD SUCH HOPE WITH CLEARY AND EVERY F**KIN WEEK HE TAKES A BIT AWAY.If things turn into a disaster i hope he acts like a man & doesn't blame the salary cap.

 

[PB_old]

“We’ve talked to Lance about the decision to go with George in this match and he has been terrific about it. .â€Â

No, not hurt. I don't see them disguising an injury as a dropping.

 

[mosh_old]

Why the hell is everyone talking about Patrick Ah Van when he isnt going to get any gametime what so ever?

 

[AliN_old]

3rd time lucky on the field I hope...

 

[PB_old]

Why the hell is everyone talking about Patrick Ah Van when he isnt going to get any gametime what so ever?

Did you ever talk about something before you got it?

 

[mosh_old]

Why the hell is everyone talking about Patrick Ah Van when he isnt going to get any gametime what so ever?

Did you ever talk about something before you got it?

Yes you have a point but the fact is, it is a Warriors policy not to try out these youngsters.
Simon Mannering is still the last youngster coming from Batarcard Cup, and there have been a few from BC already moving over to Australia to get a go there. It seems the Warriors just arent interested in these guys and the signings of 2nd tier players like Luck is a sign that they will find it very hard to ever get a run this year.