Witt, Michael

Michael WITT [Player Stats]


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Warriors name Vatuvei and Witt for clash against leaders
Tue June 17, 2008
by Matthew O'Neill
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

Winger Manu Vatuvei and standoff Michael Witt are back for the Vodafone Warriors' 15th-round NRL clash against the competition-leading Manly Sea Eagles at Mount Smart Stadium on Monday.

Vatuvei (22) was originally scheduled for a return last month after being sidelined with a spiral fracture of his left fibula in the Vodafone Warriors' seventh-round loss to Gold Coast in April.

He slots back into his regular left winger's spot after scoring seven tries in the first seven matches of the season.

And Witt (23) will make his first appearance at NRL level since damaging his hip flexor while attempting a penalty against Canberra on May 4. He had no issues with the hip complaint when he played for the Auckland Vulcans against Wenworthville in their New South Wales Cup clash last Saturday.

In his first eight appearances of the year, Witt scored 70 points and had a goal-kicking success rate of almost 90 per cent.

Vatuvei's return sees Aidan Kirk switching to the right wing to replace Michael Crockett while Nathan Fien moves into halfback with Grant Rovelli named as 18th man.

"Manu was a chance of playing a couple of weeks ago but we decided to hold off," said Vodafone Warriors coach Ivan Cleary.

"And with Michael (Witt) available again, we had to decide whether Nathan (Fien) or Grant (Rovelli) would play at halfback. Ravs has been there all season and Fieny was moved from hooker to No 6 a couple of games ago. We're giving Fieny a crack this time."

Prop Ruben Wiki will move within a one match of becoming only the 10th player in the competition's history to make 300 appearances. With game No 299 scheduled at home against the Sea Eagles, the 35-year-old Wiki, who's in his 16th and last season in the NRL, would be in line to make his landmark 300th appearance against Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval on June 30.

Also reaching a milestone this weekend will be a prop 14 years young than Wiki - Sam Rapira (21) will play his 50th game since his debut in 2006.

The Vodafone Warriors will have the same starting pack that faced the Cronulla Sharks last weekend while Cleary has opted for four forwards on the bench. Props Rapira and Evarn Tuimavave are joined by recalled second rower Epalahame Lauaki - who turned out for the Auckland Vulcans last weekend - and 19-year-old back rower Ben Matulino, who impressed on debut against the Sharks.

Micheal Luck, who will play his 64th consecutive NRL match since joining the Vodafone Warriors for the 2006 season, is set to become the first player to reach the 500 tackles barrier this season. His 39 tackles against the Sharks lifted him to first place on the list for most tackles with 496, an average of 38.2 tackles a game.

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS v MANLY SEA EAGLES
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
Sunday, June 22
2.00pm (NZ), 12:00pm (AEST)

Vodafone Warriors

1 Lance Hohaia
2 Aidan Kirk
3 Brent Tate
4 Jerome Ropati
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Michael Witt
7 Nathan Fien
8 Ruben Wiki (vc)
9 Ian Henderson
10 Steve Price (c)
11 Simon Mannering
12 Logan Swann
13 Micheal Luck

Subs:
15 Evarn Tuimavave
16 Epalahame Lauaki
17 Sam Rapira
18 Ben Matulino

18th Man: Grant Rovelli

Coach: Ivan Cleary

News Source: www.warriors.co.nz


Witt signs contract extension with Warriors
Tue April 24, 2007
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

Utility back Michael Witt has signed a contract extension to stay with the Vodafone Warriors until the end of the 2009 NRL season.

The former Parramatta and Manly halfback-standoff joined the club this year on a one-year deal seeking to re-establish himself after playing just one NRL match for the Sea Eagles last year.

Witt immediately succeeded in his goal, making his debut as Vodafone Warrior No 134 in the club's season-opening home game against one of his previous clubs - the Eels - on March 17.

He has gone on to appear in each of the side's first five matches of the season, scoring a try in each of the home wins against Brisbane and North Queensland.

Queensland-born Witt, who turned 23 on New Year's Day, said he was delighted with the way his year had started and how he and his wife Angie had settled in since moving to Auckland.

"After the year I had in 2006, this was always going to be a really important year for my career," he said.

"There's still a long way to go but I'm pleased with the way things have worked out so far. It's a comfort to know I'll now be here for three seasons.

"On the footy side, we have a great bunch of boys here, really good coaching staff and we've started the season well. There's also a fantastic feeling around the club as a whole and the fans have been brilliant.

"Off the field, my wife and I are also enjoying living in Auckland. We couldn't be happier with how it's all going."

Head coach Ivan Cleary said Witt had provided exactly what the club was looking for.

"When we signed Michael, we were looking to add to the depth to our squad in the halves area and we've immediately seen the benefits of that," he said.

"He's slotted straight in at No 6 and has impressed with the contribution he has made in the short time he has been with us. He's had a good start with us after next to no first-grade football last season."

Witt's third outing for the Vodafone Warriors - against Melbourne on March 25 - was his 50th first-grade appearance.

MICHAEL WITT
Born: January 1, 1984
Birthplace: Toowoomba (Queensland)
Position: Halfback/standoff
Height: 180cm
Weight: 86kg
Junior Club: Newtown Lions (Toowoomba)
NRL Debut: Parramatta v Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Stadium, May 2, 2003 (Round 8)
Manly debut: v Vodafone Warriors, Ericsson Stadium, March 13, 2005 (Round 1)
Vodafone Warriors debut: v Parramatta, Mt Smart Stadium, March 17, 2007 (Round 1)
NRL Career: 52 appearances
Parramatta (2003-04) - 27 games, 176 points
Manly (2005-06) - 20 games, 144 points
Vodafone Warriors (2007) - 5 games, 8 points
NRL Points: 328 (13 tries, 137 goals, 2 field goals)
Educated: Harristown State High School (Toowoomba, Queensland)

News sent by: www.warriors.co.nz

Tue March 13, 2007
• Mannering to partner Swann in Warriors second-row
  
Wed February 14, 2007
• New Warriors on show in trial on NRL Community Day
  

====================================================================================================== 2008 NRL Telstra Premiership New Zealand Warriors 13 games; 4 tries, 47/57 goals, 110 points. [View] Round 1 [17 Mar 08] L 18-32 v Storm (A). [F8] 6 Pts; 3/3g [View] Round 2 [23 Mar 08] W 30-16 v Eels (H). [F8] 10 Pts; 5/5g [View] Round 3 [31 Mar 08] L 6-52 v Sea Eagles (A). [F8] 2 Pts; 1/1g [View] Round 4 [06 Apr 08] W 26-20 v Knights (H). [F8] 10 Pts; 5/6g [View] Round 5 [13 Apr 08] W 36-16 v Bulldogs (H). [F8] 12 Pts; 6/7g [View] Round 6 [19 Apr 08] L 20-48 v Cowboys (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 4/4g [View] Round 7 [27 Apr 08] L 24-36 v Gold Coast (A). [F8] 16 Pts; 2t, 4/4g [View] Round 8 [04 May 08] W 14-6 v Raiders (H). [F8] 6 Pts; 3/5g [View] Round 15 [22 Jun 08] L 14-20 v Sea Eagles (H). [F8] 2 Pts; 1/3g [View] Round 16 [29 Jun 08] W 28-26 v Tigers (A). [BE] 4 Pts; 2/2g [View] Round 22 [09 Aug 08] W 16-12 v Broncos (H). [F8] 8 Pts; 1t, 2/4g [View] Round 23 [16 Aug 08] W 18-4 v Sharks (H). [F8] 6 Pts; 3/5g [View] Round 24 [24 Aug 08] L 6-34 v Dragons (A). [F8] 2 Pts; 1/1g ====================================================================================================== 2007 NRL Telstra Premiership New Zealand Warriors 22 games; 7 tries, 60/65 goals, 1 field goals, 149 points. [View] Round 1 [17 Mar 07] W 34-18 v Eels (H). [F8] [View] Round 2 [25 Mar 07] W 24-14 v Broncos (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (34th) [View] Round 3 [01 Apr 07] L 12-30 v Storm (A). [F8] [View] Round 4 [08 Apr 07] L 10-13 v Sea Eagles (A). [F8] [View] Round 5 [15 Apr 07] W 34-14 v Cowboys (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (45th) [View] Round 7 [29 Apr 07] W 18-16 v Rabbitohs (A). [F8] [View] Round 8 [05 May 07] L 20-22 v Sharks (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (42nd) [View] Round 10 [20 May 07] L 26-30 v Tigers (H). [HB] [View] Round 11 [28 May 07] L 6-30 v Eels (A). [HB] [View] Round 12 [03 Jun 07] L 20-40 v Bulldogs (H). [HB] [View] Round 13 [10 Jun 07] L 2-4 v Storm (H). [F8] [View] Round 14 [16 Jun 07] W 12-2 v Sharks (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 1t, 2/2g [View] Round 15 [22 Jun 07] W 54-14 v Panthers (H). [F8] 20 Pts; 2t, 6/6g [View] Round 16 [30 Jun 07] W 22-6 v Gold Coast (A). [F8] 10 Pts; 5/5g [View] Round 17 [07 Jul 07] L 12-18 v Cowboys (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 2/2g [View] Round 18 [15 Jul 07] W 44-16 v Dragons (H). [F8] 16 Pts; 8/8g [View] Round 19 [22 Jul 07] W 28-16 v Tigers (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 4/5g [View] Round 20 [28 Jul 07] W 52-10 v Knights (H). [F8] 16 Pts; 8/9g [View] Round 21 [05 Aug 07] D 31-31 v Roosters (A). [F8] 11 Pts; 5/5g, 1fg [View] Round 23 [18 Aug 07] L 24-26 v Raiders (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 4/4g [View] Round 24 [26 Aug 07] W 36-14 v Sea Eagles (H). [F8] 12 Pts; 6/8g [View] Round 25 [01 Sep 07] W 24-20 v Panthers (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 4/4g ====================================================================================================== 2006 VB NSWRL Premier League Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 11 tries, 71 goals, 186 points. ====================================================================================================== 2006 NRL Telstra Premiership Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 1 games; 2/2 goals, 4 points. [View] Round 17 [30 Jun 06] L 12-26 v Knights (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 2/2g ====================================================================================================== 2005 NRL Telstra Premiership Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 19 games; 5 tries, 60 goals, 140 points. [View] Round 1 [13 Mar 05] W 26-20 v Warriors (A). [F8] 6 Pts; 3/5g [View] Round 2 [20 Mar 05] W 46-20 v Sharks (H). [F8] 14 Pts; 7/8g [View] Round 3 [27 Mar 05] W 25-18 v Storm (H). [F8] 8 Pts; 4/4g [View] Round 5 [09 Apr 05] L 6-32 v Dragons (A). [F8] 2 Pts; 1/1g [View] Round 6 [17 Apr 05] W 36-14 v Raiders (H). [F8] 8 Pts; 4/7g [View] Round 7 [24 Apr 05] W 48-14 v Souths (H). [F8] 16 Pts; 1t (76th), 6/9g [View] Round 8 [29 Apr 05] L 12-38 v Broncos (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 2/2g [View] Round 9 [08 May 05] W 34-26 v Tigers (H). [F8] 14 Pts; 1t (61st), 5/6g [View] Round 10 [14 May 05] W 18-10 v Bulldogs (A). [F8] 6 Pts; 3/3g [View] Round 11 [20 May 05] L 12-18 v Eels (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 2/2g [View] Round 12 [29 May 05] W 36-26 v Panthers (H). [F8] 20 Pts; 2t (20th, 57th), 6/6g [View] Round 13 [03 Jun 05] W 22-18 v Roosters (A). [F8] 10 Pts; 5/5g [View] Round 14 [11 Jun 05] L 6-44 v Souths (A). [F8] 2 Pts; 1/1g [View] Round 15 [19 Jun 05] W 48-26 v Knights (H). [F8] 8 Pts; 4/7g [View] Round 16 [26 Jun 05] L 12-31 v Bulldogs (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 2/3g [View] Round 17 [01 Jul 05] L 24-49 v Tigers (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 4/4g [View] Round 19 [17 Jul 05] L 10-36 v Dragons (H). [F8] [View] Round 24 [21 Aug 05] L 6-68 v Sharks (A). [BE] 2 Pts; 1/1g [View] Finals Week One [11 Sep 05] L 22-46 v Eels (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (65th) ====================================================================================================== 2004 NRL Telstra Premiership Parramatta Eels ======================================================================================================

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