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New playmaker Brett Seymour plus fellow off-season recruits Jeremy Latimore and James Maloney will all make their first appearances for the Vodafone Warriors in their opening 2010 preseason trial against the Sydney Roosters at Rotorua International Stadium next Saturday.
As well as confirming first-up outings for the new trio, coach Ivan Cleary said two of the club’s outstanding prospects Elijah Taylor and Shaun Johnson would play in the first of the club’s three preseason hit-outs on consecutive weekends.
“The match against the Roosters will be a great chance not only for us but also for the public to have a good look at our three new signings,” said Cleary.
“Brett, Jeremy and James have all settled in really well with us. They’ve trained well and they’ve also fitted into life in Auckland. Now they have a chance to show us what they can do.”
Seymour has joined the Vodafone Warriors after a total of 101 NRL appearances for in stints with Brisbane (2002-06) – where he teamed up with modern-day great Darren Lockyer – and Cronulla (2007-9). Latimore made his debut for Parramatta in 2009 while Maloney did the same for Melbourne.
Cleary won’t confirm the Vodafone Warriors’ full squad for the Rotorua match until later in the week and he’s yet to determine which exact position Seymour will play.
“Brett will be in the halves but whether it’s at six or seven is something we’ll decide a little later. He can certainly play in both positions.”
While Taylor and Johnson are now both fulltime members of the NRL squad they’re both still eligible for another year of NYC football with the Vodafone Junior Warriors. After being named the club’s NYC Young Player of the Year in 2008, Taylor – who can play in the back row, the centres or at standoff – won the overall Player of the Year accolade last year. In his first season in the NYC, Johnson played all 25 games, scoring 241 points.
Taylor featured in the club’s NRL trials last year and was set to make his first-grade debut against Parramatta late in the season only to be forced out with injury.
As well as the three new signings and the new faces Taylor and Johnson, Cleary confirmed the club’s newest Kiwi international Ben Matulino will play in Rotorua along with the exciting Kevin Locke, who toured with the Kiwis’ 2009 Four Nations squad but didn’t play a match.
The Vodafone Warriors travel to Rotorua on Friday and will have an open training session at the International Stadium at 5.00pm that day. Three players – Sam Rapira, Steve Price and Brent Tate – will visit Rotorua on Monday to help with promotion of the game while there will be some promotional appearances involving squad members while the Vodafone Warriors are in Rotorua.
The NRL trial will be the second of three major rugby league events in Rotorua in the space of the year. Last October the International Stadium staged its first rugby league Test in 13 years when the Kiwis faced Tonga and late this week it was confirmed the New Zealand side would play its second match in the 2010 Four Nations against Papua New Guinea later this year.
After playing the Roosters, the Vodafone Warriors travel to Cairns for their second trial against North Queensland on February 20, then return home to take on Manly at North Harbour Stadium on February 27.
They open their NRL season against the Gold Coast Titans in Robina on Sunday, March 14 with their first home game following against Cronulla on Saturday, March 20.
The John Ackland-coached Vodafone Junior Warriors will also be in preseason action in Rotorua this Saturday, taking on a Bay of Plenty Invitation XIII in the curtain-raiser kicking off at 3.00pm.

This is awesome news. Good luck boys and Go Warriors.

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Vodafone Warriors 2010.

And to see who will be the most suitable partner for him.

Nothing in the tv guide about coverage but they are doing the NRL allstars game at9.30 pm on sky sport 2 Rotorua game on at 5pm

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Excellent, cheers for that, looks might I might have to try and make the game..

Cant get the smile off my face.

A home game, and my 2 favourites taking the field - Locke and Johnson = TH very happy boy!

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No. They've not televised (Warriors) trial games in the past (not in recent years anyway).

Interesting to note the Roosters are playing a trial on Friday too, so will be splitting their squad.

I believe the likes of Anasta and Carney are playing on the Friday against a North Qld Group 1 side, and likes of Anthony Minichiello (c), Sam Perrett, Mitchell Pearce and Shaun Kenny-Dowall, playing on Saturday against the Warriors.

yes thats pricey, yes he is sitting down, yes i am standing up, and yes... i truly AM, the worlds biggest hogie

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Best league moments: meeting Steve Price and being a jersey holder. Thanks fellow tribers.

Cheers.

I'll be there.

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