Holden Cup

The Junior Warriors are coming off a big win last weekend against the Canberra Raiders which saw them 44-24 in Canberra. One of the most pleasing aspects for the Junior Warriors is the effort of their young halves duo Ata Hingano and Erin Clark with both of them controlling the team nicely. These two could play a few more seasons together in the Holden Cup and that's super important not only for the Junior Warriors who can build some consistency but the growth of these two should benefit the first grade side later on down the track.

Bunty Afoa and Matiu Love-Henry both bagged doubles for the Warriors, with the other four tries shared between the Junior Warriors' quartet of key men. Besides Hingano and Clark, captain Nathaniel Roache scored while playing out in the centres and his replacement at hooker Sheldon Pitama also scored.

Roache is a young man who is making a big impression with the Warriors and can do a fine job at hooker and at centre, but this gives the wider club a bit of a situation - there's a fair amount of hookers. Siliva Havili is waiting for his turn in reserve grade behind Thomas Leuluai and Nathan Friend so it's good to see that there's plenty of talent in the hooker stocks.

This week they take on the Parramatta Eels who are also coming off a win as they beat the Bulldogs last week. Toafofoa Sipley is welcomed back to bolster the pack, while Amoni Tufui has been named to come off the bench. There's an air of solidity around this team, there's strike power in the back line, an exciting halves combination and a forward pack who resemble your typical Junior Warriors pack. If they can keep this unit on the field, they should become a dangerous side in the Holden Cup but they'll be up against a stern challenge this week in the Eels.

1 BRAD ABBEY

2 TOMAS AOAKE

3 NATHANIEL ROACHE (c)

4 SEMISI TYRELL

5 PAUL ULBERG

6 ATA HINGANO

7 ERIN CLARK

8 BUNTY AFOA

9 SHELDON PITAMA

10 TOAFOFOA SIPLEY

11 MARATA NIUKORE

12 MATIU LOVE-HENRY

13 JAZZ TEVAGA

Interchange:

14 OFAHIKI OGDEN

15 AMONI TUFUI

16 ROMAN TUHIMATA

17 ISAIAH COOPER-TETEVANO

18 LEWIS SOOSEMEA

NSW Cup

Despite having a team with plenty of names that Warriors fans will recognise, the NSWarriors put in a worrying effort. Plenty of dropped ball and poor defence was the staple of their loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs 26-18. Their attack was good enough to notch 18 points but late in the game when they needed to build pressure and step up in the clutch, they simply couldn't do so.

There was some novelty value with assistant coach George Camont lacing up the boots and he'll do so again this week as the NSWarriors face Wentworthville. I don't know whether Carmont's presence in the centres is cool or slightly embarrassing as the NSWarriors obviously lack some depth there. It's always weird when a member of the coaching staff plays, no matter the sport as you don't know whether to give him a gob-full if he slips up or not.

There was a tinge of 'not good enough' from the NSWarriors, which with so many players with first grade experience playing is definitely a worry. The Magpies have lost both of their opening two games while the NSWarriors are 1-1 so it'll be interesting to see if they can show some improvements or if they struggle once again.

On paper, it's another strong side with Charlie Gubb back in the side coming off the bench. With Suaia Matagi and Sebastine Ikahihifo starting at prop up against a Magpies pack that lacks the same first grade experience, they should be able to dominate the middle with plenty of power on the edges thanks to Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Sione Lousi.

They've got a better forward, better impact off the bench and more strike power in the backline so you'd have to back the NSWarriors this week but whether they can take advantage of that is the major question.

1 VILIAMI KAVEINGA

2 SAULA SOLOMONA

3 GEORGE CARMONT

4 DOMINIQUE PEYROUX

5 JARROD TUA

6 API PEWHAIRANGI

7 SAM COOK

8 SUAIA MATAGI

9 SILIVA HAVILI

10 SEBASTINE IKAHIHIFO

11 RAYMOND FAITALA-MARINER

12 SIONE LOUSI