League: Toopi makes way for Mannering

The Warriors will debut Wellington's Bartercard Cup second-rower Simon Mannering at centre against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Ericsson Stadium on Sunday, with Kiwi Clinton Toopi relegated to the bench as a wake-up call.

Also benched is second-rower Awen Guttenbeil, but that is for strategic reasons.

Out of the side who lost the game late to the Cowboys at the same venue last Sunday is Louis Anderson, who faced grade-one striking and dangerous throw charges and has taken an early guilty plea and a one-week ban.

Each offence carries 86 points so he has carry-over that means he'll be banned again for any offence this season.

Centre Tony Martin missed the Cowboys contest and is out for an undetermined time with an as-yet unclearly diagnosed shoulder/neck problem. Wing Todd Byrne moves in to the other midfield spot and Manu Vatuvei, who did nothing wrong off the bench last weekend, gets a start.

Mannering, 19, is tall and strong with a good step and a deceptively fast loping run. He was a Junior Kiwi in 2003 and last year, and has two years of Bartercard Cup and almost a year in the Warriors' development programme behind him.

Sione Faumuina goes to the second row to replace Guttenbeil in the starting side as Kemp looks for more ball-carries and more impact from his left-side attack.

Byrne made several runs to the middle-of-the-park mid-tackle count last weekend to take in-passes from Stacey Jones and others.

Kemp said he had been given "a free rein to do a lot of work" on attack.

He saw Byrne, longer-term, as a centre rather than a wing.

Brent Webb is expected to return at fullback, but is still suffering from a back strain and did not train yesterday. He is the only Warrior in doubt.

Kemp named last weekend's fullback Jerome Ropati at five-eighth.

That was not because Lance Hohaia had under-performed or because he was smaller in stature and a target for opposition runners.

Hohaia was in a three-way arm wrestle with Webb and Ropati who he still regarded as a five-eighth/fullback, Kemp said.

Hohaia's defence had been good in the face of that targeting.

In Sydney, Souths' focus was on a spectator who threw a full bottle of Coca Cola which hit and injured referee Jason Robinson during their tough 25-18 loss to the Raiders on Monday.

Souths has asked club members to identify the person, who was in club colours, and said he would be banned from membership and games.

Souths fullback Adam MacDougall received a two-match suspension yesterday when he submitted an early guilty plea to the judiciary for a reckless high tackle charge.

MacDougall opted not to contest the grade-one charge for his hit on Canberra halfback Lincoln Withers during the Rabbitohs' 25-18 loss to Canberra at Aussie Stadium on Monday.

The former Australian test centre will miss games against the Warriors and Newcastle at Gosford on April 10.

Withers was left with a broken nose after his head came in contact with MacDougall's forearms.

Halfback Brett Kearney has recovered from an ankle turn and may be pressed to duty at five-eighth because last weekend's No 6 John Sutton sustained a bad sternum injury in the Raiders game and is out for several weeks.

The other alternative at six is lock Ashley Harrison.

The Melbourne Storm yesterday announced that they would honour Kiwi Tawera Nikau and their former captain Robbie Kearns, both members of the 1999 grandfinal-winning team, by naming stands at Olympic Park after them.

The Bulldogs have lost hooker Adam Perry for six weeks with a torn calf muscle and Brett Oliver for the season, knee ligaments.

* Ericsson Stadium, Sunday 2pm

NZ Warriors

Brent Webb, Manu Vatuvei, Todd Byrne, Simon Mannering, Francis Meli, Jerome Ropati, Stacey Jones, Iafeta Paleaaesina, Nathan Fien, Steve Price (c), Sione Faumuina, Wairangi Koopu, Monty Betham

Souths

Todd Polglase, Luke MacDougall, Shannon Hegarty, Lee Hookey, Brad Watts, Brett Kearney, Joe Williams, Peter Cusack, Shane Walker, Scott Logan, Bryan Fletcher (c), Luke Stuart, Ashley Harrison

Reserves:

Warriors: Tevita Latu, Karl Temata, Clinton Toopi, Awen Guttenbeil

Souths: Mark Minichiello, David Fa'alogo, Shane Rigon, Trent Young