Will the Warriors be able to halt the Sea Eagles title charge?
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, Sunday 2pm (AEST)
Last meeting: Round 22 2013 - Sea Eagles 27 bt NZ Warriors 12 at Central Coast Stadium
Head-to-head: NZ Warriors 8 Sea Eagles 17
Referees: Ben Cummins, Chris James
TV: Live, FoxSports 1
Ladbrokes: Warriors $2, Sea Eagles $1.83
Betfair: Warriors $2.04, Sea Eagles $1.92
AAP writes: A mouthwatering clash between two of the competition’s form teams. The Warriors had won four straight before last weekend’s loss to Brisbane while the Sea Eagles sit atop the competition despite reports of player unrest following Monday night’s win over St George Illawarra. The Warriors, who love playing at Mt Smart Stadium so far this year with four wins from four games, will be at full strength with Ngani Laumape and Sam Rapira coming back into their lineup. The Sea Eagles have included James Hasson on the bench but will monitor Steve Matai, Dunamis Lui and Jorge Taufua before the clash across the Tasman.
Key: A couple of extra days rest and the home ground factor should be enough to get the Warriors past the Sea Eagles in a tight one.
Tip: NZ Warriors
WARRIORS: Sam Tomkins, Ngani Laumape, Konrad Hurrell, Dane Nielsen, Manu Vatuvei, Chad Townsend, Shaun Johnson, Jacob Lillyman, Nathan Friend, Sueaia Matagi, Ben Henry, Simon Mannering (capt), Sebastine Ikahihifo. Interchange: Feleti Mateo, Ben Matulino, Jayson Bukuya, Thomas Leuluai, Sam Rapira (one to be omitted).
SEA EAGLES: Brett Stewart, Jorge Taufua, Jamie Lyon, Steve Matai, Peta Hiku, Kieran Foran, Daly Cherry-Evans, Josh Starling, Matt Ballin, Brenton Lawrence, Anthony Watmough, Jamie Buhrer, Tom Symonds. Interchange: Jesse Sene-Lefao, Dunamis Lui, James Hasson, Jason King.
Warriors!!!! @NZWarriors #WarriorsForever pic.twitter.com/MtMSfTgogh — Janice Lam (@janiceisamuppet) July 27, 2014
Late mail from the Sea Eagles' web site:
Cheyse Blair is back in the Sea Eagles side for the first time since early in the season, with Jorge Taufua a late withdrawl. He will wear jersey number 18.
Tyson Andrews come on to the bench for game number three and is in for Dunamis Lui who was ruled out with a knee injury.
1. Brett Stewart -
18. Cheyse Blair -
16. Jamie Lyon -
4. Steve Matai -
5. Peta Hiku -
6. Kieran Foran -
7. Daly Cherry-Evans -
8. Josh Starling -
9. Matt Ballin -
10. Brenton Lawrence -
11. Anthony Watmough -
12. Jamie Buhrer -
13. Tom Symonds -
Interchange
14. Jesse Sene-Lefao -
16. James Hasson -
17. Jason King-
21. Tyson Andrews -
The big news from the Warriors' camp is Shaun Johnson has been ruled out with a groin injury.
The Warriors' side is as follows:
1 SAM TOMKINS
2 NGANI LAUMAPE
3 KONRAD HURRELL
4 DANE NIELSEN
5 MANU VATUVEI
6 CHAD TOWNSEND
17 THOMAS LEULUAI
8 JACOB LILLYMAN
9 NATHAN FRIEND
10 SUAIA MATAGI
11 BEN HENRY
12 SIMON MANNERING (c)
13 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO
Interchange:
15 BEN MATULINO
16 JAYSON BUKUYA
18 TUIMOALA LOLOHEA
20 SAM RAPIRA
It's been a tough week for the Sea Eagles with news of salary cap rumblings and reports the playing side is split into three camps. Manly can dispel the rumours of internal strife with a cohesive and dominant performance against the Warriors. The New Zealanders are without playmaker Shaun Johnson but on home turf they are always dangerous. Jorge Taufua is out for the Eagles, replaced by Cheyse Blair. If Manly win they will cement their position at the top of the table, while a Warriors victory will ensure they stay in the top eight. The temperature in Auckland is a brisk 11 degrees. This should be a belter of a game.
Warriors 0 Sea Eagles 0
The Warriors' most famous fan, Mr Bean impersonator Grant Smith-Pilling, is in the stands doing his thing. What a guy. The crowd is upwards of 13,000.
