Jacob Lillyman. Photo / Greg Bowker.
The Warriors have put an accent on youth in 2012 but yesterday they secured one of their older players, Jacob Lillyman, through to the end of the 2014 NRL season.
The 28-year-old's contract extension comes less than two weeks after the 23-year-old Ben Matulino, who has been the Warriors' best
forward this season, signed a new deal through to the end of 2015.
Together with senior props Sam Rapira and Russell Packer - now nearing 100 NRL games - plus the emerging Sione Lousi and Steve Rapira, the Warriors have built a solid stable of propping resources.
The rotation of Sam Rapira, Lillyman, Matulino and Packer was critical to the club's charge to last year's NRL grand final and, while Rapira's appearances have been restricted by injuries, Matulino, Packer, Lillyman and Lousi have been a major strength for the side again this season with their work in the middle of the park.
Lillyman, who came to the club in 2009 as a second rower, was converted into a front rower and his form last year earned him a State of Origin recall and he has now played six games for Queensland.
