Round 8 of the NRL 2013 season on Sunday will kick off early with the match between New Zealand Warriors and Gold Coast Titans with the match being played at Mt Smart Stadium in New Zealand. Home team the Warriors hold favouritism in the match due to the home ground advantage although on paper it looks a close game. View our live NRL scores, stats, odds and results for the game between New Zealand Warriors and Gold Coast Titans.
WHERE AND WHEN: Mt Smart Stadium, Sunday @ 12:00
Opening Odds:
New Zealand Warriors $1.48 vs Gold Coast Titans $2.70 at Sportsbet Australia
New Zealand Warriors $1.50 vs Gold Coast Titans $2.65 at Luxbet Australia
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Preview:
The Warriors take on the Titans on Sunday, with this match kicking off at Mt Smart Stadium at 11.45am. The New Zealand team are performing well at the moment, winning all five of their last matches in fine form. Centres Solomone Kata and David Fusitua were practically unstoppable for the Warriors last weekend, and the Titans defence will have a lot to do during this match if they want to stop the points from flowing.
Teams:
New Zealand Warriors:
Kevin Locke, Bill Tupou, Jerome Ropati, Ben Henry, Manu Vatuvei, Thomas Leuluai, Shaun Johnson, Sam Rapira, Nathan Friend, Russell Packer, Feleti Mateo, Simon Mannering (c), Todd Lowrie
Interchange: Ben Matulino, Jacob Lillyman, Elijah Taylor, Pita Godinet, Ngani Laumape, (one to be omitted)
Gold Coast Titans:
William Zillman, Kevin Gordon, Brad Takairangi, Jamal Idris, Anthony Don, Aidan Sezer, Albert Kelly, Luke Douglas, Beau Falloon, Luke Bailey, Greg Bird, Mark Minichiello, Nate Myles
Interchange: Dave Taylor, Mark Ioane, Ryan James, Sam Irwin, Steve Michaels (one to be omitted)
Ioane to make NRL debut for Titans
Former Warriors junior Mark Ioane will make his NRL debut for Gold Coast this weekend against his old club.
Ioane has been drafted into the injury-hit Titans’ line-up for Sunday’s match at Mt Smart Stadium with Ashley Harrison (ankle), Luke O’Dwyer (broken jaw) and Matt Srama (fractured hand) all ruled out.
Joining the 22-year-old in the Titans’ line-up will be outside backs Kevin Gordon and Brad Takairangi while 21-year-old Sam Irwin returns to first grade after his impressive debut against Parramatta three weeks ago.
Ioane said his call-up had come out of the blue and he couldn’t wait to tell his parents in New Zealand the news.
“I’ve been waiting for this chance for a long while. It’s been two years in the making,” Ioane told reporters on Tuesday.
“It came out of the blue … Carty (coach John Cartwright) announced the team and I was pretty shocked and excited for it.”
Ioane’s selection has forced coach Cartwright to shuffle his forward pack with Luke Bailey reclaiming a starting spot and co-captain Nate Myles moving back to lock to fill in for Harrison.
“Roles will change a little bit with Harro being out and Nate dropping back to the back of the scrum,” he said.
“Luke was close to getting a start somewhere and it’s through injuries he’s got that chance.”
The Titans received good news on Harrison and Srama’s injuries earlier on Tuesday, with both expected to only miss between two to three weeks.
O’Dwyer is likely to be ruled out for four to six weeks.
Titans: William Zillman, Kevin Gordon, Brad Takairangi, Jamal Idris, Anthony Don, Aidan Sezer, Albert Kelly, Luke Douglas, Beau Falloon, Luke Bailey, Greg Bird, Mark Minichiello, Nate Myles. Interchange: David Taylor, Mark Ioane, Ryan James, Sam Irwin, Steve Michaels.