NRL: Tupou to debut against Manly

Winger Bill Tupou was today handed his first-grade debut and second rower Lewis Brown was recalled for the Warriors' fourth-round National Rugby League (NRL) match with Manly at Auckland on Sunday.

Tupou, 19, comes in on the left wing for the injured Manu Vatuvei while Brown replaces captain Simon Mannering, who's also sidelined with injury.

Vatuvei and Mannering left the field with hamstring injuries during the first half of the 48-16 away win over Brisbane last Sunday.

"Manu and Simon are definitely out this week," team doctor John Mayhew said.

"They'll be reassessed later in the week and will continue to be monitored but we can't yet put a time frame on when they will be able to return."

Tupou, now in his third season with the Junior Warriors in the youth competition, impressed in the club's NRL trials, appearing in all three games and scoring a try against North Queensland.

Brown, who was outstanding in the opening two rounds of the season, is back after serving a one-match suspension for a dangerous throw offence against Cronulla. Coach Ivan Cleary has named Brown to partner Jacob Lillyman in the second row while he has listed Sam Rapira and Russell Packer as the starting props.

"It's a real boost for us to have Lewie back with Simon out and Bill has been working hard for this chance throughout the off-season," Cleary said.

"It's not getting any easier for us, though. It's still early in the season but we're fairly battered already and we're certainly having our depth tested."

As well as Mannering and Vatuvei, others out of contention for the Manly fixture include Steve Price (heel), Brett Seymour (hand), Sione Lousi (leg), Isaac John (foot) and Elijah Taylor (knee).

As well, Shaun Johnson could be out for four-to-six weeks with an ankle injury he picked up in the Junior Warriors' loss to the Broncos last weekend.

Ian Henderson has been cleared from a knee injury that has ruled him out since the first pre-season trial against the Sydney Roosters on February.

"We've put together a couple of good performances and the players coming in have done a great job but we're seeing just how testing playing and surviving in this competition is," said Cleary.

"... there won't be any let-up from Manly, who came back with a win against Newcastle last week. They've always been exceptionally tough opposition for us and we wouldn't expect anything else from them this time."

The Warriors and Manly drew 16-16 when they met in an NRL trial at North Harbour Stadium in late February.

Warriors team to play Manly on Sunday: Lance Hohaia, Kevin Locke, Brent Tate, Jerome Ropati, Bill Tupou, Joel Moon, James Maloney, Sam Rapira, Aaron Heremaia, Russell Packer, Lewis Brown, Jacob Lillyman, Micheal Luck (captain)

Interchange: Wade McKinnon, Jeremy Latimore, Jesse Royal, Ben Matulino.

- NZPA