League: Rising Moon set to bring out beast in Warriors

Joel Moon brings a new edge to the Warriors' attack. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The battle of two new five-eighths may decide the Warriors' season-opener against Parramatta at Mt Smart on Saturday night.

Joel Moon, who played most of his 21 games for the Broncos at centre, came to Auckland to find a permanent home in his favoured number six jersey and gets his chance, while Daniel Anderson, back at Parramatta after time with the Warriors and St Helens, has called in Jarryd Hayne, who has been mostly at wing and also at centre and fullback.

Both have strength and line-breaking ability, an elusive step and vision to provide the right ball to their outsides and support players.

The backline battle promises to be a stunner. The Warriors field a full-strength lineup that includes test centres Brent Tate and Jerome Ropati plus his Kiwis outside Manu Vatuvei, who was the Warriors' top try-scorer last year, and new speedster Denan Kemp, who got most touchdowns for the Broncos. The Eels have Hayne, who starred for Fiji at the World Cup, Kiwis talent Krisnan Inu, former test wing Eric Grothe, who hasn't played top grade since round 12 in 2008 and is back in favour, and the solid Luke Burt and Ben Smith. Nathan Fien holds the Warriors' halfback spot he had secured by the end of last year, Stacey Jones was not considered due to the calf strain he suffered pre-season.

Up front, the Warriors field four World Cup internationals in Kangaroo Steve Price, who plays his 300th NRL game, Kiwis Sam Rapira and Simon Mannering and Ian Henderson, who was hooker for Scotland, plus three players who have come through the development stream in the new under-20s Toyota Cup competition.

Russell Packer and Ben Matulino made their NRL debuts last year and have earned places in the year's first 17 after confirming their form in the three trials. The newcomer is Leeson Ah Mau, 19, who likewise played well in the wins over the Storm, Cowboys and Titans.

Ah Mau, who gets his chance through Evarn Tuimavave's neck injury, is a product of the Otahuhu Leopards and has progressed through New Zealand under-18s and the Junior Kiwis. At 184cm and 106kg, he does plenty of damage and his mistakes are limited.

The Eels will blood a player of similar pedigree in prop Tim Mannah, the captain of their under-20s side.

Up front they have internationals in the smart ball-player Feleti Mateo, who shifts from five-eighth to his preferred position at lock, and Fuifui Moimoi, who also represented Tonga last year and is now looking to return to the Kiwis, Kangaroo Nathan Hindmarsh and Kiwi Nathan Cayless.

So on paper the teams appear even. The Warriors have an edge with a good home crowd expected. Already 11,000 seats have been sold with better season ticket sales and corporate bookings than 2008, plus early gate sales.

They also have the confidence from three good pre-season wins over sides expected to feature in the top eight at year's end (24-12 v Storm, 34-28 v Cowboys, 34-12 v Titans). The training yesterday was crisp and sharp as they ran an opposed session against the players who will turn out for the Auckland Vulcans and some under-20s including halfback Isaac John and fullback Kevin Locke.

Coach Ivan Cleary said his first 17 was "very much a team for the first round, it's not an indication of our plans for the whole season".

Warriors
Wade McKinnon, Denan Kemp, Brent Tate, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, Joel Moon, Nathan Fien, Sam Rapira, Ian Henderson, Steve Price (capt), Simon Mannering, Ben Matulino, Micheal Luck.

Interchange: Lance Hohaia, Russell Packer, Jacob Lillyman, Leeson Ah Mau, Epalahame Lauaki (one to be omitted)

Eels
Luke Burt, Joel Reddy, Ben Smith, Krisnan Inu, Eric Grothe, Jarryd Hayne, Brett Finch, Nathan Cayless (capt), Matthew Keating, Josh Cordoba, Nathan Hindmarsh, Weller Hauraki, Feleti Mateo.

Interchange: Kris Keating, Todd Lowrie, Tim Mannah, Fuifui Moimoi, Taulima Tautai, Joe Galuvao (two to be omitted)