Alehana Mara is stepping in for Nathan Friend who is out with a broken jaw. Photo / Ron Burgin
Alehana Mara replacing the injured Nathan Friend is the only line-up change for the Warriors' 10th-round NRL match against the Sydney Roosters at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday night.
With hooker Friend out for six weeks after breaking his jaw in the 30-20 win against Brisbane, the 22-year-old Mara has
been named for what will be his 10th NRL outing.
He last played for the Warriors in their final regular season outing against the North Queensland Cowboys last year, one of six appearancese in 2011.
After a spell out with a knee injury, Mara returned for the Auckland Vulcans in the New South Wales Cup two weeks ago, scoring a try against Balmain Ryde Eastwood last Saturday.
Warriors team to play Roosters at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday, kick-off 7.30pm: Jerome Ropati, Bill Tupou, Ben Henry, Konrad Hurrell, Manu Vatuvei, James Maloney, Shaun Johnson, Russell Packer, Alehana Mara, Ben Matulino, Elijah Taylor, Simon Mannering (c), Feleti Mateo. Interchange: Lewis Brown, Ukuma Ta'ai, Sione Lousi, Jacob Lillyman.
