NRL: Top troops will bolster Warriors' junior sides

Junior Warriors player Bradley Abbey is fended off by Brock Lamb during the Junior Warriors match against the Newcastle Knghts earlier in the season. Photo / Dean Purcell

Crunch time as club’s under-20s and NSW Cup teams prepare for tough finals matches.

The off-season arrived prematurely for the Warriors NRL side, but crunch time is approaching for the club's under-20s and NSW Cup teams - both sides featuring in this weekend's finals matches.

The Warriors under-20s side begin the next chapter of their NYC title-defence in tonight's elimination play-off against the Sydney Roosters, and the NSW Cup team will line up against the Canterbury Bulldogs in Sunday's sudden-death clash at Jubilee Oval.

After a mixed season, the Junior Warriors finished with an 11-11 win-loss record and secured their seventh place finish with a 30-14 win over the young Bulldogs last Sunday.

Injuries mean they will be without three players from last year's champion side, including the club's NYC Player of the Year, Bunty Afoa, along with prop and captain Toafofoa Sipley and the versatile Nathaniel Roache.

Despite being under strength, the side still have some valuable experience, with loose-forward Jazz Tevaga, fullback Brad Abbey and wing Paul Ulberg the remaining survivors of last year's grand final-winning team.

Both sides were 1-1 in matches against each other in the regular season with the Roosters winning at Mt Smart Stadium before the Junior Warriors triumphed 42-20 at Allianz Stadium in Sydney in July.

Meanwhile, the Stacey Jones-coached NSW Cup team will benefit from the NRL side's early exit with six first-grade players returning to bolster their ranks after last week's heavy playoff defeat to minor premiers Mounties.

After pushing the Bulldogs NRL side before falling 26-22 last Sunday, centres Matt Allwood and Dominique Peyroux, halfback Mason Lino, props Sione Lousi and Sebastine Ikahihifo and back-rower Raymond Faitala-Mariner will all play.

That gives them 10 players with NRL experience.

Jones has also recalled fullback Viliami Kaveinga and wing Saula Solomona, and forward Paki Afu is also on hand. Hooker Zac Tippins also steps up.

They face a tough contest against the fifth-ranked Bulldogs who last week eliminated North Sydney 22-4 after beating the Warriors in their two regular season encounters.

Warriors teams

Junior Warriors v Sydney Roosters
ANZ Stadium, tonight 7.15
1. Brad Abbey, 2. Tomas Aoake, 3. Marata Niukore, 4. Semisi Tyrell, 5. Paul Ulberg, 6. Kauri Aupouri, 7. Erin Clark, 8. Tualima Tualima, 9. Casey Lafaele, 10. Paul Tuli, 11. Ofahiki Ogden, 12. Matiu Love-Henry, 13. Jazz Tevaga (c).
Interchange: 14. Tyler Mohi, 15. Mattais Heimuli, 16. Amoni Tufui, 17. Lewis Soosemea.

Warriors NSW Cup v Canterbury Bulldogs
Jubilee Oval, Sunday 8.10pm
1. Viliami Kaveinga, 2. Saula Solomona, 3. Matt Allwood, 4. Dominique Peyroux, 5. Ken Maumalo, 6. Ata Hingano, 7. Mason Lino, 8. Sebastine Ikahihifo, 9. Siliva Havili, 10. Sione Lousi, 11. John Palavi (c), 12. Raymond Faitala-Mariner, 13. David Bhana.
Interchange: 14. Zac Tippins, 15. James Bell, 16. Upu Poching, 17. Paki Afu, 18. Daniel Palavi.