Rugby League: Dogs and Raiders eye Vagana

By PETER JESSUP

Warriors wing/centre Nigel Vagana has been given permission by the club to negotiate elsewhere - and Canterbury and Canberra are already interested in the 25-year-old prolific try-scorer.

The Auckland club has included a condition that they should be given last right of refusal. But the weakness of their approach to the six-test Kiwi may sway his mind, just as Newcastle's no-offer did for Matthew Johns.

Vagana is the second top try-scorer in the NRL, with 11 - one less than the Newcastle Knights' Timana Tahu.

The Warriors' Tainui backers are said not to be keen on spending any more than they have to at the club and there is talk that no players will be bought during the off-season.

In addition, the team's poor performance is likely to be cited as reason for cutting existing contracts of some off-contract players.

Most of the Warriors' 36 players are signed for 2001 already.

Terry Hermansson, who was given a two-week suspension from the NRL judiciary yesterday when he pleaded guilty to a careless high-tackle charge on Raiders prop Luke Davico's on Saturday night, will retire, aged 32.

Tony Tuimavave, aged 31, has been told he is free to look elsewhere, and wing Odell Manuel is off contract and is clearly playing for his future.

Up-and-coming players will be examined and of those, included in the off-contract group, are Cliff Beverley, Shontayne Hape, Henry Perenara, Jonathon Smith, Wairangi Koopu, Henry Faafili, Francis Meli and Peter Lewis.

Others on one-year deals include Scott Pethybridge, Jason Bell, Lee Oudenryn, Scott Coxon, Matt Spence, Ben Lythe.

The Warriors will go into their game with the Panthers at Ericsson Stadium on Saturday battling the unhappiness of a poor win-loss record from recent games, while the Panthers come after five wins on the trot.

The Warriors have dropped Manuel and returned Henry Faafili to the right wing, Hermansson is replaced by Jerry Seuseu in the start line-up and Mark Tookey goes to the bench.

Warriors: David Myles, Henry Faafili, Shontayne Hape, Nigel Vagana, Lee Oudenryn, Jason Bell, Stacey Jones, Joe Vagana, Robert Mears, Jerry Seuseu, Logan Swann, Ali Lauiti'iti, Scott Coxon; interchange Cliff Beverley, Tony Tuimavave, Matt Spence, Mark Tookey.

Panthers: Peter Jorgensen, Robbie Beckett, David Woods/Ryan Girdler, Shane Elford, Chris Hicks, Steve Carter (c), Matthew Rodwell, Carl MacNamara/Craig Greenhill, Craig Gower, Jody Gall, Tony Puletua, Matt Adamson, John Cross; interchange Mark Geyer, Frank Puletua, Scott Sattler, Lee Hopkins.