Fullback Brent Webb is set to become just the 11th player to make 100 first-grade appearances for the Vodafone Warriors when they face North Queensland at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday night.
An injury-enforced two-match absence had delayed the 25-year-old’s bid to reach his century before he finishes his five-year stay in Auckland to join English Super League club Leeds.
But the Kiwi international returned for match No 99 against Cronulla last weekend, enabling him to achieve his milestone in front of his home crowd this weekend and against one of his previous clubs.
Webb, born in Cairns but raised on the tiny Thursday Island, was a Cowboys junior before finding his way to the Vodafone Warriors via Queensland Cup side Brisbane Wests.
“It’s nice for Webby to reach this mark before finishing up and heading to England,†said head coach Ivan Cleary.
“He’d been playing really well for us when we lost him for Parramatta match.
“We missed his experience that night and again when we faced Penrith but he made a big difference coming back into the side against the Sharks last weekend.
“That was Awen Guttenbeil’s testimonial game and we came out of it with a decent result. It would be good if things worked out the same way in Webby’s 100th.â€Â
Webb made the first of his 99 appearances against Newcastle in April 1, 2002, and has gone on to score 202 points for the club from 37 tries and 27 goals. Only Stacey Jones (75), Francis Meli (60), Clinton Toopi (57), Sean Hoppe (44) and Henry Fa’afili (38) top his try tally.
Ahead of him on the club’s roll of honour for appearances are Jones (238), Guttenbeil (166), Logan Swann (145), Wairangi Koopu (136), Jerry Seuseu (132), Toopi (129), Joe Vagana (116), Ali Lauitiiti (115), Meli (110) and Monty Betham (101).
Cleary has made just one change in the side he has named to take on the Cowboys, vice-captain Ruben Wiki returning from a one-match suspension which sees Evarn Tuimavave reverting to the interchange bench. George Tuakura, 18th man against the Sharks, drops out of the squad.
Guttenbeil (calf), captain Steve Price (eye), Koopu (shoulder) and centre Tony Martin (neck) all came out of the Cronulla match with injury complaints but a final decision on their fitness won’t be made until later in the week.
Saturday night’s game gives the Vodafone Warriors the chance to snare their 10th win of the year, which would match last year’s overall record with three games still to play.
“It was really important for us to come back from our Penrith performance the way we did last weekend,†said Cleary.
“After losing three in a row, it showed the players had learned. They put in a smart and solid effort in very difficult conditions.â€Â
The 12-10 win also enhanced a points for and against record which is still the third best in the competition. That stands at plus 57 with only Melbourne and the Bulldogs boasting superior records. The Vodafone Warriors rank fifth for most points scored (448) and fourth for the fewest points conceded (391) behind only the Storm, the Broncos and the Bulldogs.
Gavin Badger has been named to referee the match.
VODAFONE WARRIORS V NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
7.30pm, Saturday, August 12, 2006
Referee: Gavin Badger
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 (V/C)
9
NATHAN FIEN
10
STEVE PRICE (C)
11
AWEN GUTTENBEIL
12
WAIRANGI KOOPU
13
LOUIS ANDERSON
14
GEORGE GATIS
15
EVARN TUIMAVAVE
16
EPALAHAME LAUAKI
17
MICHEAL LUCK
20
SAM RAPIRA
An injury-enforced two-match absence had delayed the 25-year-old’s bid to reach his century before he finishes his five-year stay in Auckland to join English Super League club Leeds.
But the Kiwi international returned for match No 99 against Cronulla last weekend, enabling him to achieve his milestone in front of his home crowd this weekend and against one of his previous clubs.
Webb, born in Cairns but raised on the tiny Thursday Island, was a Cowboys junior before finding his way to the Vodafone Warriors via Queensland Cup side Brisbane Wests.
“It’s nice for Webby to reach this mark before finishing up and heading to England,†said head coach Ivan Cleary.
“He’d been playing really well for us when we lost him for Parramatta match.
“We missed his experience that night and again when we faced Penrith but he made a big difference coming back into the side against the Sharks last weekend.
“That was Awen Guttenbeil’s testimonial game and we came out of it with a decent result. It would be good if things worked out the same way in Webby’s 100th.â€Â
Webb made the first of his 99 appearances against Newcastle in April 1, 2002, and has gone on to score 202 points for the club from 37 tries and 27 goals. Only Stacey Jones (75), Francis Meli (60), Clinton Toopi (57), Sean Hoppe (44) and Henry Fa’afili (38) top his try tally.
Ahead of him on the club’s roll of honour for appearances are Jones (238), Guttenbeil (166), Logan Swann (145), Wairangi Koopu (136), Jerry Seuseu (132), Toopi (129), Joe Vagana (116), Ali Lauitiiti (115), Meli (110) and Monty Betham (101).
Cleary has made just one change in the side he has named to take on the Cowboys, vice-captain Ruben Wiki returning from a one-match suspension which sees Evarn Tuimavave reverting to the interchange bench. George Tuakura, 18th man against the Sharks, drops out of the squad.
Guttenbeil (calf), captain Steve Price (eye), Koopu (shoulder) and centre Tony Martin (neck) all came out of the Cronulla match with injury complaints but a final decision on their fitness won’t be made until later in the week.
Saturday night’s game gives the Vodafone Warriors the chance to snare their 10th win of the year, which would match last year’s overall record with three games still to play.
“It was really important for us to come back from our Penrith performance the way we did last weekend,†said Cleary.
“After losing three in a row, it showed the players had learned. They put in a smart and solid effort in very difficult conditions.â€Â
The 12-10 win also enhanced a points for and against record which is still the third best in the competition. That stands at plus 57 with only Melbourne and the Bulldogs boasting superior records. The Vodafone Warriors rank fifth for most points scored (448) and fourth for the fewest points conceded (391) behind only the Storm, the Broncos and the Bulldogs.
Gavin Badger has been named to referee the match.
VODAFONE WARRIORS V NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
7.30pm, Saturday, August 12, 2006
Referee: Gavin Badger
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 (V/C)
9
NATHAN FIEN
10
STEVE PRICE (C)
11
AWEN GUTTENBEIL
12
WAIRANGI KOOPU
13
LOUIS ANDERSON
14
GEORGE GATIS
15
EVARN TUIMAVAVE
16
EPALAHAME LAUAKI
17
MICHEAL LUCK
20
SAM RAPIRA
