19 Apr 2017

Matulino named on Warriors bench

6:58 am on 19 April 2017

Ben Matulino has been named on the Warriors bench for the Anzac day clash with the Storm signalling his NRL comeback is a step closer.

Ben Matulino has copped a thee match ban for a shoulder charge.

Warriors senior prop Ben Matulino Photo: Photosport

The senior prop has missed the early stages of the season following knee surgery.

The Warriors head to Melbourne with a three win and four loss record after the seventh round 20-8 loss to the Raiders at the weekend.

Warriors coach Stephen Kearny says Matulino has been making good progress since returning to full training and should be ready to play soon.

Matulino's inclusion on the bench is the only change from the 21-man squad initially named for last Saturday's clash against Canberra.

When the 28 year old does make it onto the field again he will join a handful of players who have

appeared across 10 NRL seasons for the Warriors - Stacey Jones, Awen Guttenbeil, Lance Hohaia, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, Simon Mannering and Sam Rapira.

Next Tuesday's encounter will be the eighth Anzac Day match between the Storm and the Warriors since the fixture was first introduced in 2009.

WARRIORS

1 ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (c)

2 BLAKE AYSHFORD

3 DAVID FUSITU'A

4 SOLOMONE KATA

5 KEN MAUMALO

6 KIERAN FORAN

7 SHAUN JOHNSON

8 JAMES GAVET

9 ISSAC LUKE

10 JACOB LILLYMAN

11 BODENE THOMPSON

12 RYAN HOFFMAN

13 SIMON MANNERING

Interchange:

14 NATHANIEL ROACHE

15 CHARLIE GUBB

16 LIGI SAO

17 SAM LISONE

18 BEN MATULINO

20 BUNTY AFOA

21 MAFOA'AEATA HINGANO

22 MASON LINO