JUNIOR KIWIS NAMED
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Junior Kiwis line up for anthem. Oct 2007 Photo: Aaron Smale/PHOTOSPORT
Nine players from the Vodafone Junior Warriors' NYC
premiership-winning side were today named in the 19-man Junior
Kiwis squad for this month's two-match series against the Junior
Kangaroos.
Just three days after beating South Sydney 42-28 in the Toyota
Cup grand final at ANZ Stadium, the Vodafone Junior Warriors have
been further rewarded with eight players involved in the grand
final being selected along with winger Bill Tupou who was ruled
ineligible for the season decider.
Apart from Tupou, the others named are fullback Glen Fisiiahi,
centre Siuatonga Likiliki, standoff Carlos Tuimavave, halfback
Shaun Johnson, prop Mark Ioane, loose forward Sebastine Ikahihifo
and interchange players Nafe Seluini and Sam Lousi.
Tupou and Likiliki both have NRL experience, Tupou with 12
appearances for the Vodafone Warriors this year and Likiliki with
one game last season. Other players with NRL experience in the
squad are Canberra winger Drury Low and back rower Sam Mataora,
Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland), captain Martin Taupau
(Canterbury-Bankstown) and fullback-winger Dean Whare (Manly).
Whare marked his NRL debut with a hat-trick against North
Queensland while Low was the NYC's top try-scorer with 22 tries,
Fisiiahi's was second equal with 20 and Likiliki fourth with 19.
Johnson, who missed several games through injury, was the ninth
highest points-scorer with 171 points. Fisiiahi topped the line
breaks for the season with 27.
The remaining five non-Warriors players in the squad are yet to
play at first-grade level - props Pakisonasi Afu
(Canterbury-Bankstown), Isaac Maliota (Sydney Roosters) and Lama
Tasi (Manly), hooker Matthew McIlwrick (Canberra) and centre-winger
Kane Morgan (South Sydney).
Coaching the side is 1999-2008 25-Test veteran David Kidwell,
who guided South Sydney to the NYC minor premiership before losing
the grand final.
The two teams will meet in Wellington (October 23) and Rotorua
(October 30) in curtain-raisers to the Kiwis' Four Nations
encounters with England and Papua New Guinea.
2010 JUNIOR KIWIS
Pakisonasi Afu (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Glen Fisiiahi (Warriors)
Sebastine Ikahihifo (Warriors)
Mark Ioane (Warriors)
Shaun Johnson (Warriors)
Siuatonga Likiliki (Warriors)
Sam Lousi (Warriors)
Drury Low (Canberra Raiders)
Matthew McIlwrick (Canberra Raiders)
Isaac Maliota (Sydney Roosters)
Sam Mataora (Canberra Raiders)
Kane Morgan (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Nafe Seluini (Warriors)
Lama Tasi (Manly Sea Eagles)
Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland Cowboys)
Martin Taupau (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs) captain
Carlos Tuimavave (Warriors)
Bill Tupou (Warriors)
Dean Whare (Manly Sea Eagles)