LUKE AND LISONE TO RETURN FOR SUNSHINE COAST CLASH

Auckland, New Zealand, April 10, 2019 – Issac Luke and Sam Lisone are both in line to return for the Vodafone Warriors against the South Sydney Rabbitohs on the Sunshine Coast this weekend after being included on an extended bench.

Luke didn’t return in the second half against the Sea Eagles in Christchurch in round three due to a hamstring complaint. He then missed last week’s win over the Titans.

But after a good hit out at training on Tuesday, a return against his old club this weekend is on the cards.

Lisone is also available for selection after serving a two-match suspension.

“We weren’t prepared to risk Issac last week against the Titans,” coach Stephen Kearney said.

“But he’s trained well since then and will certainly be given every opportunity to play this weekend.”

Kearney has also named Jazz Tevaga on the bench.

The utility has been charged with dangerous contact on Titans forward Shannon Boyd but is pleading not guilty and his case will be heard by the NRL judiciary at 8pm (NZT) on Tuesday.

If successful, he will be free to play against South Sydney, while an unfavourable decision will see him miss one game.

“We’ve included Jazz in our squad for this weekend and are hoping he gets the all-clear to play,” Kearney added.

Saturday’s clash against the Rabbitohs will be the first NRL fixture played at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

The venue will be familiar to a number of Vodafone Warriors players, however, after the club played a pre-season trial there against the Gold Coast Titans in 2018.

Kick-off on Saturday is at 5pm NZT.

2019 NRL

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS v VODAFONE WARRIORS

5pm (NZT), Saturday, April 13, 2019

Sunshine Coast Stadium, Bokarina, Queensland

VODAFONE WARRIORS

1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)

2 DAVID FUSITU’A

3 PETA HIKU

4 SOLOMONE KATA

5 KEN MAUMALO

6 CHANEL HARRIS-TAVITA

7 BLAKE GREEN

8 AGNATIUS PAASI

9 KARL LAWTON

10 LEESON AH MAU

11 ADAM BLAIR

12 TOHU HARRIS

13 LACHLAN BURR

Interchange:

14 JAZZ TEVAGA

15 ISAIAH PAPALI’I

16 BUNTY AFOA

17 SAM LISONE

18 LIGI SAO

20 GERARD BEALE

21 ADAM KEIGHRAN

22 ISSAC LUKE

HEAD COACH | STEPHEN KEARNEY