Vodafone Warriors captain Steve Price is ready to make his 250th first-grade appearance on Sunday after coming through the second State of Origin match without any problems.
After returning home yesterday, Price (32) trained with the Vodafone Warriors for the first time today ahead of their 14th round NRL match against Newcastle.
TEAM
• There are no changes to the 17 players originally named at this stage.
• Captain Steve Price returned home yesterday from the second State of Origin match. He came through the Origin match without any problems and trained with the Vodafone Warriors today.
• The team will have a final training session tomorrow.
• Sam Rapira and Clinton Toopi, included as stand by players, continue to train with the squad.
• The team selected on Tuesday showed two changes in the starting line-up from the side that ran on against the Sydney Roosters – Price back into the front row with Evarn Tuimavave going to the bench and Awen Guttenbeil named in the second row with Micheal Luck going to the bench. Sam Rapira drops off the bench.
CASUALTY WARD
• Epalahame Lauaki (pectoral) and Todd Byrne (arm) remain on the injured list this week. They are both due to return in early August.
BARTERCARD CUP
• Four players from the Vodafone Warriors’ first-grade squad are due to play Bartercard Cup football this weekend.
• The Tamaki Leopards have fullback/winger Cooper Vuna and prop George Tuakura named in their side to meet the Auckland Lions in the curtain raiser to the Vodafone Warriors’ NRL match against Newcastle at Ericsson Stadium on Sunday.
• Hooker George Gatis and second rower Sonny Fai are expected to play for the Counties Manukau Jetz in Maori TV’s Monday night live match against Harbour League at North Harbour Stadium.
STATISTICS
• Steve Price plays his 250th first-grade match on Sunday, becoming the 50th player in the competition’s 98-year history to reach the milestone. It will be his 28th appearance for the Vodafone Warriors after playing 222 games for the Bulldogs from 1994-2004.
• With his two tries against the Roosters last weekend, Manu Vatuvei maintained his outstanding try-scoring strike rate. He has now scored six tries in seven appearances this year, his 15 career tries coming on his last 18 appearances (after he failed to score in his first six NRL matches). Vatuvei and Brent Webb are the club’s leading try scorers with six touchdowns so far this year.
• Tony Martin scored six points against the Roosters to become the fifth player to reach 100 points in the 2006 NRL season. He has scored four tries and kicked 42 goals.
• The Vodafone Warriors have beaten the Newcastle Knights only once in nine clashes at Ericsson Stadium (42-0 in 1999).
• The Vodafone Warriors are seeking back-to-back wins over Newcastle this season after winning 26-22 at EnergyAustralia Stadium in the fourth round.
• Seven players are set to extend their run of appearing in all of the club’s NRL matches this season. Sunday’s match will be the 14h on end for Brent Webb, Tony Martin, Grant Rovelli, Nathan Fien, Wairangi Koopu, Evarn Tuimavave and Micheal Luck.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS V NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
• Overall: Played 17, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 12
• At Ericsson Stadium: Played 9, Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 7
o Wins at Ericsson Stadium:
42-0 in 1999
• Biggest win: 42-0 at Ericsson Stadium, 1999
VODAFONE WARRIORS V NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Ericsson Stadium, Auckland
2.00pm, Sunday, June 18, 2006
Referee: Jarred Maxwell
VODAFONE WARRIORS TEAM
1
BRENT WEBB
2
PATRICK AH VAN
3
TONY MARTIN
4
SIMON MANNERING
5
MANU VATUVEI
6
JEROME ROPATI
7
GRANT ROVELLI
8
RUBEN WIKI (VC)
9
NATHAN FIEN
10
STEVE PRICE (C)
11
AWEN GUTTENBEIL
12
LOUIS ANDERSON
13
SIONE FAUMUINA
14
LANCE HOHAIA
15
EVARN TUIMAVAVE
16
WAIRANGI KOOPU
17
MICHEAL LUCK
STANDBY PLAYERS
20
SAM RAPIRA
21
CLINTON TOOPI
After returning home yesterday, Price (32) trained with the Vodafone Warriors for the first time today ahead of their 14th round NRL match against Newcastle.
TEAM
• There are no changes to the 17 players originally named at this stage.
• Captain Steve Price returned home yesterday from the second State of Origin match. He came through the Origin match without any problems and trained with the Vodafone Warriors today.
• The team will have a final training session tomorrow.
• Sam Rapira and Clinton Toopi, included as stand by players, continue to train with the squad.
• The team selected on Tuesday showed two changes in the starting line-up from the side that ran on against the Sydney Roosters – Price back into the front row with Evarn Tuimavave going to the bench and Awen Guttenbeil named in the second row with Micheal Luck going to the bench. Sam Rapira drops off the bench.
CASUALTY WARD
• Epalahame Lauaki (pectoral) and Todd Byrne (arm) remain on the injured list this week. They are both due to return in early August.
BARTERCARD CUP
• Four players from the Vodafone Warriors’ first-grade squad are due to play Bartercard Cup football this weekend.
• The Tamaki Leopards have fullback/winger Cooper Vuna and prop George Tuakura named in their side to meet the Auckland Lions in the curtain raiser to the Vodafone Warriors’ NRL match against Newcastle at Ericsson Stadium on Sunday.
• Hooker George Gatis and second rower Sonny Fai are expected to play for the Counties Manukau Jetz in Maori TV’s Monday night live match against Harbour League at North Harbour Stadium.
STATISTICS
• Steve Price plays his 250th first-grade match on Sunday, becoming the 50th player in the competition’s 98-year history to reach the milestone. It will be his 28th appearance for the Vodafone Warriors after playing 222 games for the Bulldogs from 1994-2004.
• With his two tries against the Roosters last weekend, Manu Vatuvei maintained his outstanding try-scoring strike rate. He has now scored six tries in seven appearances this year, his 15 career tries coming on his last 18 appearances (after he failed to score in his first six NRL matches). Vatuvei and Brent Webb are the club’s leading try scorers with six touchdowns so far this year.
• Tony Martin scored six points against the Roosters to become the fifth player to reach 100 points in the 2006 NRL season. He has scored four tries and kicked 42 goals.
• The Vodafone Warriors have beaten the Newcastle Knights only once in nine clashes at Ericsson Stadium (42-0 in 1999).
• The Vodafone Warriors are seeking back-to-back wins over Newcastle this season after winning 26-22 at EnergyAustralia Stadium in the fourth round.
• Seven players are set to extend their run of appearing in all of the club’s NRL matches this season. Sunday’s match will be the 14h on end for Brent Webb, Tony Martin, Grant Rovelli, Nathan Fien, Wairangi Koopu, Evarn Tuimavave and Micheal Luck.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS V NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
• Overall: Played 17, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 12
• At Ericsson Stadium: Played 9, Won 1, Drawn 1, Lost 7
o Wins at Ericsson Stadium:
42-0 in 1999
• Biggest win: 42-0 at Ericsson Stadium, 1999
VODAFONE WARRIORS V NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Ericsson Stadium, Auckland
2.00pm, Sunday, June 18, 2006
Referee: Jarred Maxwell
VODAFONE WARRIORS TEAM
1
BRENT WEBB
2
PATRICK AH VAN
3
TONY MARTIN
4
SIMON MANNERING
5
MANU VATUVEI
6
JEROME ROPATI
7
GRANT ROVELLI
8
RUBEN WIKI (VC)
9
NATHAN FIEN
10
STEVE PRICE (C)
11
AWEN GUTTENBEIL
12
LOUIS ANDERSON
13
SIONE FAUMUINA
14
LANCE HOHAIA
15
EVARN TUIMAVAVE
16
WAIRANGI KOOPU
17
MICHEAL LUCK
STANDBY PLAYERS
20
SAM RAPIRA
21
CLINTON TOOPI
