Club great Stacey Jones will have nine new faces in his Vodafone Junior Warriors side when he makes his NYC coaching debut in Sunday’s opening round clash against Parramatta at Pirtek Stadium (4.15pm kick-off local time; 6.15pm NZT).
Among the new faces named in the 18-man squad are fullback Brad Abbey and forward Bunty Afoa, like Jones both St Paul’s College products.
The other players in line for their first NYC appearances for the 2013 beaten grand finalists are wing George Edwards, standoff Nathaniel Roache, prop Jordan Baldwinson, second rower Matiu Love-Henry, loose forward James Bell and interchange forwards Semisi Tyrell and Mason Tonks.
Also playing for the Vodafone Junior Warriors for the first time will be back rower Michael Ki, who was actually in Parramatta’s NYC squad last year, playing twice.
The remaining eight players in the squad all have NYC experience with the Vodafone Junior Warriors, although only three players are backing up this week after playing in the 2013 grand final against Penrith (halfback Mason Lino, prop James Taylor and interchange forward Kouma Samson.
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v PARRAMATTA EELS
Pirtek Stadium, Parramatta
4.15pm, Sunday, March 09
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 BRAD ABBEY
2 GEORGE EDWARDS
3 LAFU FEAGAIGA
4 KEN MAUMALO
5 BRAXTON STANLEY
6 NATHANIEL ROACHE
7 MASON LINO (c)
8 JORDAN BALDWINSON
9 KURT ROBINSON
10 JAMES TAYLOR
11 MICHAEL KI
12 MATIU LOVE-HENRY
13 JAMES BELL
Interchange:
14 KOUMA SAMSON
15 SEMISI TYRELL
16 TOAFOFOA SIPLEY
17 MASON TONKS
18 BUNTY AFOA
COACH: STACEY JONES
