Round 2
New Zealand Warriors 30 d. Parramatta Eels 16

2008 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Vatuvei continues try-scoring form as Warriors defeat Eels
Mon March 24, 2008
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

Giant winger Manu Vatuvei made it four tries in two matches as the Vodafone Warriors accounted for Parramatta in their NRL clash at Mt Smart Stadium on Sunday.

After scoring twice against Melbourne on Monday night he repeated the dose with a try in each half against the Eels, lifting his career tally to 33 tries in 60 NRL appearances.

The 22-year-old was also a central figure in the lead-up to Evarn Tuimavave's second half try as the Vodafone Warriors thrilled a fantastic crowd of 15,250 for the club's first home match of the year.

With new centre Brent Tate scoring his first try for his new club and Grant Rovelli finishing a long-range raid for another in the first half, the Vodafone Warriors were 30-10 up on the Eels until they closed the gap with a late Luke Burt try.

It was a key victory after beginning the season with an 18-32 loss in Melbourne on Monday night.

And it was achieved despite two significant injury setbacks, fullback Wade McKinnon already out with a long-term knee injury and captain Steve Price set to miss about eight weeks with a torn hamstring.

There was another shuffle to the side with new fullback Aidan Kirk ruled out with a knee injury, opening the way for utility Lance Hohaia to in his place while off-season signing Ian Henderson came onto the bench for his Vodafone Warriors debut.

As they did against Melbourne, the Vodafone Warriors offered up early points to trail 0-6 but Vatuvei finished off with little room to move in the 24th minute. A second try followed immediately when the impressive Jerome Ropati made a sharp break and found Rovelli backing up on the inside for another superb try.

Michael Witt was as reliable as he was last year, magnificently converting Vatuvei's try from the very edge of the field.

While Parramatta reacted with an Joel Reddy try early in the second half, the Vodafone Warriors really warmed to their work from then on.

First Vatuvei raced onto a Witt kick for his second, three minutes later Tate profited when he ran into a hole off a sweet Rovelli ball and then followed the most exciting try of the match.

Hohaia fielded a Parramatta kick close to the touchline deep inside his own territory. As he was collared and was about to be taken into touch, he flicked the ball back for the monster Vatuvei who scorched 50 metres upfield before being run down. From the play the ball, Hohaia darted from dummy half, took the ball to the line, opened up a huge hole and Tuimavave surged onto the pass for a 20 metre canter to the line.

With Witt converting all three tries - sensationally so again for Vatuvei's effort wide out - the Vodafone Warriors had scored 18 points in just six minutes. That took the game right away from a Parramatta side clearly suffering without its workhorse Nathan Hindmarsh.

But that took nothing away from the Vodafone Warriors' vastly-improved second half effort.

With Price absent, much greater responsibility fell on the younger forwards and Tuimavave and Epalahame Lauaki, given more game time, responded admirably.

Tuimavave carted the ball up 13 times for almost 150 metres while Lauaki was also heavily involved.

The work they and the rest of the forwards did certainly gave the outside backs ample freedom and plenty of ball in hand.

Every one of them could look at superb statistics with right winger Patrick Ah Van the only one not to gain 100 metres plus (and then he was only just short with 94 metres from 11 carries in one of the best displays of his first-grade career).

No one from either side did better than Vatuvei with 187 metres from 12 high-qaulity carries - that's an average of more than 15 metres a run - while Tate really relished his second match with his new team, carving up 161 metres from 17 runs. Hohaia was excellent value at the back with 150 metres from 16 carries and Ropati was again a standout with 137 metres from 15 runs.

The halves Rovelli and Witt were highly effective and influential, backed up by dummy half operators Nathan Fien and Ian Henderson, allowing the Vodafone Warriors to pick up a rare win over Parramatta in recent times.
Up front the home forwards clearly outpointed their opposites. There were pluses in Henderson making his return to the NRL from the English Suoer League while 20-year-old Sonny Fai had his first taste of first-grade football.

Now the Vodafone Warriors begin their preparation for their second successive away game on a Monday night, facing last year's beaten grand finalists the Manly Sea Eagles who have lost each of their first two matches of the season.

Match details:

At Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland:
Vodafone Warriors 30 (Manu Vatuvei 2, Grant Rovelli, Brent Tate, Evarn Tuimavave tries; Michael Witt 5 conversions).
Parramatta Eels 16 (Eric Grothe, Joel Reddy, Luke Burt tries; Luke Burt conversion, penalty).
Halftime: 12-6 Vodafone Warriors.
Referee: Shayne Hayne.
Crowd: 15,250.

News sent by: www.warriors.co.nz


Hayne returns for Eels
Tue March 18, 2008
Source: www.parraeels.com.au

Jarryd Hayne will take the place of the injured Krisnan Inu when the Pirtek Parramatta Eels take on the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland on Sunday.

Hayne's return after being stood down for round one comes after scans revealed Inu had suffered ankle ligament damage in Saturday's win over the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium.

The Kiwi international will undergo surgery tomorrow (Wednesday) and is expected to be out of action for six weeks.

"It's bitterly disappointing to lose Krisnan this early in the season," head coach Michael Hagan said.

"He's played 21 games for us since his debut and this will be his first extended break out of the game, so for it to come just when he was hitting his straps after a hard pre-season is particularly hard to take.

"However I have every confidence that Jarryd will have a big game after missing last week.

"It's nice to be able to slot him straight back into the side and gives us some comfort heading into what will be a very tough match."

Joel Reddy will partner Hayne in the centres after starting on the wing against the Bulldogs, while last week's debutant Taulima Tautai shifts to the wing.

Junior Paulo and Weller Hauraki have been included on a six man bench, which will be reduced to five prior to the Eels departure for Auckland on Friday and four before kick off on Sunday.

Eels Toyota Cup coach Matt Cameron has named an unchanged side for their trip across the Tasman, while halfback Tim Smith has been named in the Wentworthville team to play the Auckland Vulcans at Ringrose Park on Sunday.

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP
Parramatta Eels v New Zealand Warriors
Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland
Sunday 23 March 2008
4:00pm (NZ Time - 2:00pm AEDT)

Parramatta Eels (NRL):
1. Luke Burt
2. Taulima Tautai
3. Joel Reddy
4. Jarryd Hayne
5. Eric Grothe
6. Feleti Mateo
7. Brett Finch
8. Nathan Cayless (c)
9. Mark Riddell
10. Fuifui Moimoi
11. Nathan Hindmarsh
12. Todd Lowrie
13. Daniel Wagon

Interchange
14. Matt Keating
15. Josh Cordoba
16. Weller Hauraki
17. Junior Paulo
18. Brendan Oake
19. Joe Galuvao
(two to be omitted)

Coach: Michael Hagan

Not Considered:
Krisnan Inu - Ankle
Chad Robinson - Wrist
Ben Smith - Knee/Shoulder

TOYOTA CUP
Parramatta Eels v New Zealand Warriors
Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland
Sunday 23 March 2008
2:00pm (NZ Time - 12:00pm AEDT)

Parramatta Eels (NYC):
1. Domenic Nasso
2. Ben Mclennan
3. Taputoa Rea
4. Mase Laulu Togagae
5. Shaun Cox
6. Kristopher Keating
7. Daniel Mortimer
8. Jonathon Mannah
9. Anthony Mitchell
10. Tim Mannah (c)
11. Tim Robinson
12. Tony Williams
13. David Baumann

Interchange
14. Luke Mottinelli
15. Luke Latham
16. Taniela Lasalo
17. Mitchell Allgood

Coach: Matt Cameron

Not Considered:
Jason Baiteri - Knee
Nathan Campbell - Knee
Trent Hodkinson - Knee
Justin Hunt - Ankle
Marty Lewis - Hamstring
Joe Mataele - Ankle
Fareni Moefaauo - Shoulder

VB NSW CUP
Wentworthville v Auckland
Ringrose Park
Sunday 23 March 2008
2:30pm

Wentworthville Magpies:
1. Etu Uaisele
2. Iwi Hauraki
3. James Grehan
4. Mark Luland
5. Matt Raftery
6. James Maloney (c)
7. Tim Smith
8. Duan Poaneki
9. Martin Mitchell
10. Jeremy Latimore
11. Kosta Kouparitsas
12. Brett Blaker
13. Broderick Wright

Interchange
14. Justin Wood
15. Nathan Cleaver
16. Alfred Betham
17. Mark O'Grady
18. Jacob Byrne
19. Jonathan Wright
(two to be omitted)

Coach: Rip Taylor

News sent by www.parraeels.com.au

Tue March 18, 2008
• Warriors without Price for first home game of the season
  

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