Former Rotorua players named in Warriors NRL Nines squad

Warriors player Hayze Perham. Photo / File

Former Rotorua Boys' High School students Hayze Perham and Selesitino Ravutaumada have been named in the Vodafone Warriors squad for this weekend's Perth NRL Nines.

Isaiah Papali'i, 21, will become the youngest player to captain a Warriors senior team that also boats seasoned NRL players in Blake Green, Ken Maumalo, Leeson Ah Mau and Agnatius Paasi alongside a host of the club's most promising players.

Among them is Masterton-born 18-year-old fullback Rocco Berry, whose father is former All Black Marty Berry.

Rocco was signed while forging an outstanding schoolboy rugby union career with the St Patrick's College, Silverstream First XV in Wellington.

Perham and Ravutaumada were team mates in the Rotorua Boys' High School 1st XV in 2017.

A number of other under-20 players have been selected including 2019 Jersey Flegg Cup players Edward Kosi, halfback Paul Turner and hooker Temple Kalepo.

Another player named yet to play in the NRL is Melbourne-born forward Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, who has been on a training contract over the preseason.

Other players with NRL experience are prop Sam Lisone, Taane Milne, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Leivaha Pulu, and Adam Keighran while 2019 Canterbury Cup NSW regular Jackson Frei has also been selected.

The Vodafone Warriors open their campaign against the Newcastle Knights on Friday (9.55pm NZT). Their second and final pool match is against the Sydney Roosters on Saturday (4.35pm NZT).

Rotorua will host the Vodafone Warriors in a pre-season trial at the Rotorua International when they play the West Tigers on March 1.

VODAFONE WARRIORS SQUAD FOR PERTH NRL NINES:

LEESON AH MAU
ROCCO BERRY
JACKSON FREI
BLAKE GREEN
CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA
TEMPLE KALEPO
ADAM KEIGHRAN
EDWARD KOSI
SAM LISONE
KEN MAUMALO
TAANE MILNE
AGNATIUS PAASI
ISAIAH PAPALI'I (captain)
HAYZE PERHAM
LEIVAHA PULU
SELESITINO RAVUTAUMADA
JAMAYNE TAUNOA-BROWN
PAUL TURNER