The Vodafone Junior Warriors are set to use an unchanged line-up when they seek their fifth win in their last six games in Friday’s eighth-round NYC clash against the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park (3.05pm kick-off local time; 5.05pm NZT).
Coach Stacey Jones has named the same 17 players used in last Saturday’s 36-12 victory over St George Illawarra in Sydney.
The match will be co-captain Mason Lino’s 49th career appearance leaving him in line to become the ninth Vodafone Junior Warrior to reach the 50-game milestone in the club’s ‘Mothers Go Free’ home game against Canberra at Eden Park on Saturday, May 10.
The NYC match kicks off at 2.40pm, preceded by the club’s New South Wales Cup side facing the Mounties at 12.40pm and followed by the NRL fixture against the Raiders at 5.00pm.
In the Canberra match Lino will have the chance to join the 50-game club with Ben Henry (64), John Palavi (63), Siliva Havili (57), Elijah Taylor (52), Nafe Seluini (52), Carlos Tuimavave (51), Omar Slaimankhel (51) and Siuatonga Likiliki (50).
Lino marked his 48th match last weekend with 16 points from two tries and four conversions, lifting his season’s total to 80 in seven games and his career tally to 371.
Co-captain and prop Sam Lisone again led his team-mates in most metres gained with 175 from 17 runs while others to top 100 metres were centre Ken Maumalo (171), fullback Brad Abbey (157), back rowers James Bell (150), Michael Ki (126), Kouma Samson (117) and Ofahiki Ogden (106) plus interchange hooker Solomone Kata (130), prop James Taylor (102) and winger Tomas Aoake (102). Abbey also had three try assists in another impressive display.
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v MELBOURNE STORM
AAMI Park, Melbourne
3.05pm, Friday, April 25
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 BRAD ABBEY
2 LAFU FEAGAIGA
3 ADAM TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD
4 KEN MAUMALO
5 TOMAS AOAKE
6 MAFOA’AEATA HINGANO
7 MASON LINO (c)
8 SAM LISONE (c)
9 KURT ROBINSON
10 TOAFOFOA SIPLEY
11 MICHAEL KI
12 OFAHIKI OGDEN
13 KOUMA SAMSON
Interchange:
14 IULIO AFOA
15 JAMES BELL
16 JAMES TAYLOR
17 SOLOMONE KATA
COACH: STACEY JONES
