Three players – all in the backline – will make their debuts for the Vodafone Junior Warriors in Saturday’s ninth-round NYC clash against the Canberra Raiders at Eden Park (2.40pm kick-off).
With co-captain Mason Lino stepping up to play for the club’s New South Wales Cup side, Mikaere Beattie will line up at halfback.
Beattie has a background in rugby union and rugby league.
In union he was in the champion Hamilton Boys’ High School First XV and he also played league for Hamilton City Tigers. Boasting a background in touch as well, he has been playing for the Papakura Sea Eagles in Auckland’s Fox Memorial championship.
Making their debuts on the wing will be Paul Ulberg and John Wesley Tauti (known as Wesley Tauti).
Former Aotea College pupil Ulberg played his junior rugby league for the Porirua Vikings, represented the Wellington Orcas and was selected in the New Zealand Resident 18s last year.
Mangere East’s Tauti, an Otahuhu College product, was picked up by the Vodafone Warriors from their open NYC trial last November.
Coming back into the back row is Matiu Love-Henry.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors go into Saturday’s match after a 14-36 loss to Melbourne in their last outing.
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS v CANBERRA RAIDERS
Eden Park, Auckland
2.40pm, Saturday, May 10
VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS
1 BRAD ABBEY
2 PAUL ULBERG
3 ADAM TUIMAVAVE-GERRARD
4 KEN MAUMALO
5 JOHN WESLEY TAUTI
6 MAFOA’AEATA HINGANO
7 MIKAERE BEATTIE
8 SAM LISONE (c)
9 KURT ROBINSON
10 KOUMA SAMSON
11 MICHAEL KI
12 MATIU LOVE-HENRY
13 JAMES BELL
Interchange:
14 JAMES TAYLOR
15 ALAMOTI FINAU
16 JORDAN BALDWINSON
17 SOLOMONE KATA
18 MASON TONKS
COACH: STACEY JONES
