NRL: James Gavet named to start for Warriors

James Gavet. Photo / Michel Craig.

Prop James Gavet has been named to start for the Warriors' seventh-round NRL encounter with the Raiders at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Saturday (7.30pm kickoff NZT).

That's the only tweak to an otherwise unchanged starting XII from the team that beat the Eels 22-10 last Sunday.

Gavet (28), who made 10 appearances in his first NRL campaign with the club last year, earned his call-up after impressive form for the club's Intrust Super Premiership side in the first three weeks this season.

After being used off the interchange against the Dragons, Gavet was initially named on the bench but started against both the Titans and the Eels. He topped 100 metres in each of the three games including 107 metres from 11 carries while adding 21 tackles in the win over Parramatta, a performance which resulted in him being named the team's player of the day.

Blake Ayshford, who like Gavet has been ever present since coming into the top side against the Dragons, with celebrate his 150th career appearance on Saturday.

Ayshford was called up in dramatic circumstances at Kogarah, brought in at the last-minute when Kieran Foran was ruled out in the warm-up for the match. The ex-Wests Tigers and Cronulla centre has since featured in the back-to-back wins over Gold Coast and Parramatta to take his career tally to 149 games. He was near ever-present last season scoring eight tries in 22 games in what was his busiest NRL campaign since 2012.

"Blake has done exceptionally well to reach 150 appearances," said Warriors head coach Stephen Kearney.

"When you look at the rest of our outside backs he's not the same sort of athlete. Ken (Maumalo) and David (Fusitu'a) are big men, Sol (Kata) is really powerful and Roger (Tuivasa-Sheck) has so much speed. Aysh is a lot different but he's reliable and does a tremendous job for us. It's great to see him getting to this mark."

Ayshford contributed to an outstanding all-round display from the back five who all ran the ball more than 100 metres last Sunday. He made 110 metres from 12 carries as well as providing a try assist for the second of Bodene Thompson's two tries plus two line breaks, though undid that good work with some shaky defensive moments again.

Ayshford - and the rest of the squad - will need to find another level on Saturday, with GIO Stadium one of the most difficult venues in the club's history.

The Warriors had won just once in there in 11 attempts before having back-to-back successes in 2014 and 2015. Last year they came back with a last-second David Fusitu'a try and Issac Luke's conversion from the touchline taking the match into golden point extra time only for the Raiders to win it 26-22 with a Jarrod Croker try.

In 36 matches between the two sides overall, the Raiders have a narrow 19-17 edge.

Warriors vs Canberra
GIO Stadium, Saturday 7:30pm (NZT)
1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (C)
2 Blake Ayshford
3 David Fusitu'a
4 Solomone Kata
5 Ken Maumalo
6 Kieran Foran
7 Shaun Johnson
8 James Gavet
9 Issac Luke
10 Jacob Lillyman
11 Bodene Thompson
12 Ryan Hoffman
13 Simon Mannering
Interchange:
14 Nathaniel Roache
15 Charlie Gubb
16 Ligi Sao
17 Sam Lisone
18 Albert Vete
20 Bunty Afoa
21 Mafoa'aeata Hingano
22 Mason Lino
Coach: Stephen Kearney