2 Apr 2015

Warriors dismiss claims Tomkins wants out

11:59 am on 2 April 2015

The New Zealand Warriors coach Andrew McFadden has played down talk that fullback Sam Tomkins wants to leave the National Rugby League club.

Sam Tomkins and Solomone Kata celebrate a Warriors win.

Sam Tomkins and Solomone Kata celebrate a Warriors win. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

There have been suggestions that the England international was homesick and was looking for an early exit from the Auckland-based side.

McFadden has dismissed that speculation.

"Sam's very happy here, I was only speaking to him yesterday and we had a bit of a laugh about it, so no there's no way he'll be leaving this year he's very happy."

Tomkins is contracted to the Warriors to the end of 2016.

Meanwhile Ngani Laumape and Sebastine Ikahihifo are set to make their first appearances for the Warriors this season, in their National Rugby League clash with Melbourne on Monday.

Laumape comes into the centres after recovering from injury while Ikahihifo replaces Ben Henry on the bench, who's been ruled out for the season with a bad knee.

The Warriors coach Andrew McFadden says Laumape brings a strong physical presence to the warriors backline and adds some punch.

The match will also be the 250th NRL game for Ryan Hoffman.

The veteran backrower will have special cause to relish his return to Melbourne to play against the side he played for 245 times before joining the Warriors this season.

Both teams will go into the Easter Monday contest on the back of disappointing defeats.

The Vodafone Warriors came back strongly to level up 16-16 before a penalty and a try in the finals seconds gave Brisbane a 24-16 win.

Melbourne led North Queensland 17-10 with just a few minutes left last night but the Cowboys took it to extra time with a converted try and field goal; then Jonathan Thurston kicked another field goal to give his side its first win of the season.

The Storm are seventh on four points and the Warriors ninth with the same record.

Warriors:

1 Tuimoala Lolohea

2 Jonathan Wright

3 Ngani Laumape

4 Solomone Kata

5 Manu Vatuvei

6 Chad Townsend

7 Shaun Johnson

8 Jacob Lillyman

9 Thomas Leuluai

10 Ben Matulino

11 Bodene Thompson

12 Ryan Hoffman

13 Simon Mannering (captain)

Interchange:

14 Nathan Friend

15 Sebastine Ikahihifo

16 Sam Lisone

17 Albert Vete

18 Sione Lousi