Sunday has three NRL matches with the first game for Round 19 is between New Zealand Warriors and Melbourne Storm with the opening kick to commence at 2:00pm local time. The game is to be played at Mt Smart Stadium with the favourite for the match being Melbourne Storm. View our NRL live scores, odds and results for the game between New Zealand Warriors and Melbourne Storm.
WHERE AND WHEN: Mt Smart Stadium, 28th July, 2:00pm
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Opening odds comparison:
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| New Zealand Warriors | 2.05 | 2.00 | 2.15 | 2.00 | 2.05 | 2.07 |
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Melbourne Storm
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1.77 | 1.80 | 1.73 | 1.80 | 1.77 | 1.77 |
Preview:
The New Zealand Warriors take on the Melbourne Storm in the first Sunday game, 12pm at Mt Smart Stadium. This looks like another close contest, with the Storm slight favourites to take the points over the New Zealand side. This time of the year has proven bad for Melbourne in the past, however, with a number of players exhausted from Origin duty and not performing at their optimum. The Storm lost four in a row after last year’s Origin series, and will be keen to stop that from happening again this year. With an unpredictable Warriors outfit desperate in 11th position, however, the Storm will have to stay on their toes.
Teams:
New Zealand Warriors:
1 Kevin Locke
2 Ngani Laumape
3 Dane Nielsen
4 Konrad Hurrell
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Thomas Leuluai
7 Shaun Johnson
8 Sam Rapira
9 Nathan Friend
10 Ben Matulino
11 Feleti Mateo
12 Simon Mannering (c)
13 Elijah Taylor
Interchange
14 Suaia Matagi
15 Jacob Lillyman
16 Todd Lowrie
17 Dominique Peyroux
Coach: Matthew Elliott
Melbourne Storm:
1 Billy Slater
2 Sisa Waqa
3 Will Chambers
4 Maurice Blair
5 Justin O’Neill
6 Brett Finch
7 Cooper Cronk
8 Jesse Bromwich
9 Cameron Smith (c)
10 Bryan Norrie
11 Kevin Proctor
12 Ryan Hoffman
13 Ryan Hinchcliffe
Interchange
14 Jordan McLean
15 Tohu Harris
16 Siosaia Vave
17 Slade Griffin
18 Tim Glasby
19 Ben Hampton
Coach: Craig Bellamy
Laumape back winging it for Warriors
Warriors coach Matt Elliot is confident rookie winger Ngani Laumape can fill the gap in the his ever-improving line-up left by speedster Glen Fisiiahi.
Laumape replaces the injured Fisiiahi in the only change to the New Zealand side to face the Melbourne Storm in Auckland on Sunday.
Fisiiahi is out for the NRL season after tearing his right pectoral muscle during Friday’s 24-14 win over the Wests Tigers in Sydney.
Laumape, 20, will make his ninth appearance in his debut season, having consistently impressed this year despite having alternated between playing for the Warriors and for the second-tier Auckland Vulcans in the New South Wales Cup.
He tops the clubs statistics for most average runs per game (14.2) and average metres per game (131).
Elliott says the emergence of Laumape has tempered the loss of Fisiiahi.
“Glen has been a key player for us but we also have great confidence in Ngani who has done a terrific job for us every time he has been called on at this level,” he said.
“Through Glen’s misfortune, Ngani now has the chance to put some games together.”
Elliott has retained the other 16 players used against the Tigers. Ben Matulino has been named in the starting front row, as he was last week, but he subsequently swapped places with Jacob Lillyman.
After selecting an extended bench in recent weeks, Elliott has stuck with four this week.
Lillyman and Suaia Matagi are the propping options, along with interchange regulars Todd Lowrie and Dominique Peyroux.
The 11th-placed Warriors will treat the match as a testimonial occasion for wing Manu Vatuvei, who is celebrating his 10th season in the NRL.
Warriors: Kevin Locke, Ngani Laumape, Dane Nielsen, Konrad Hurrell, Manu Vatuvei, Thomas Leuluai, Shaun Johnson, Sam Rapira, Nathan Friend, Ben Matulino, Feleti Mateo, Simon Mannering (capt), Elijah Taylor. Interchange: Suaia Matagi, Jacob Lillyman, Todd Lowrie, Dominique Peyroux.