NRL: Vatuvei eyes history for Warriors

Warriors player Manu Vatuvei. Photo / Richard Robinson

Warriors stand-in captain Manu Vatuvei is eyeing history, Nathan Friend will make his 150th career appearance and Carlos Tuimavave his first in Sunday's NRL clash against Cronulla at Mt Smart Stadium.

With regular skipper Simon Mannering still out with an ankle injury, Vatuvei will again lead the Warriors in his 148th appearance, one which could create an NRL first.

After scoring his 99th try last weekend, the giant winger will have a chance to become the first player to score 100 NRL tries for the club.

Two other players - the oldest in the squad and the youngest - will both achieve key milestones.

Hooker Friend, 31, will reach the 150-game mark in his 15th appearance for his new club after 135 games previously for Brisbane, Melbourne and Gold Coast.

At the other end of the ledger Tuimavave, 20, who is in his last year playing National Youth Cup football for the Junior Warriors, will become the club's 177th first-grade player after being named on the bench for the Cronulla encounter. Tuimavave will be the third member of the well-known league family to play for the Warriors following his uncle Tony and cousin Evarn.

Carlos Tuimavave travelled to Perth as cover for the match against Manly last weekend and will join a bench which also includes the returning Steve Rapira, who has recovered from a hamstring injury, as well as regulars Sione Lousi and Jacob Lillyman plus likely 18th man Ukuma Ta'ai.

"With Carlos it's great to see another product of our development system coming through to the NRL," said Warriors head coach Brian McClennan.

"He's a player with lots of ability and he'll give us cover in the halves, the centres at fullback and maybe even loose forward if needed."

McClennan said neither Mannering nor centre Konrad Hurrell would be ready to play this week. With Hurrell out, Ben Henry returns to the centres where Lewis Brown will again line up. It results in Elijah Taylor moving into the second row and 2010-2011 NYC premiership winner Sebastine Ikahihifo starting at loose forward after making his debut from the bench last week.

The Warriors sit 12th on the table, two points out of the top eight.

Meanwhile, veteran loose forward Micheal Luck will return to the playing field this weekend - for the Auckland Vulcans in the New South Wales Cup rather than going back directly into the NRL.

After coming back for two matches, Luck was sidelined again with more issues with his troublesome shoulder. He will trial it playing for the Vulcans against Wentworthville on Mt Smart Stadium No 2 on Saturday.

Warriors team to play Cronulla Sharks at Mt Smart on Sunday, kick-off 2pm: Kevin Locke, Bill Tupou, Ben Henry, Lewis Brown, Manu Vatuvei (c), James Maloney, Shaun Johnson, Russell Packer, Nathan Friend, Ben Matulino, Feleti Mateo, Elijah Taylor, Sebastine Ikahihifo. Interchange: Carlos Tuimavave, Sione Lousi, Jacob Lillyman, Steve Rapira, Ukuma Ta'ai.