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McKinnon, Wade |
  Wade MCKINNON [Player Stats] + Submit additional information or a correction to this player 
McKinnon back as Price and Tuimavave close in on career milestones Tue September 23, 2008 by Retread Source: www.warriors.co.nz Wade McKinnon makes his return from suspension for the Vodafone Warriors' preliminary final against Manly in week three of the NRL play-offs at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday. McKinnon (28) was today named in his regular position of fullback for just his fifth appearance of a season disrupted by a long lay-off after major knee surgery and then interrupted by a three-match ban on a contrary conduct charge. Before the suspension, McKinnon had scored three tries in his first four matches back from injury. His return results in Lance Hohaia reverting to the interchange role he filled when McKinnon came back into the side against Brisbane last month. In McKinnon's absence Hohaia has again impressed at fullback. "I can't say enough about the job Lance has done. He's been terrific for us all year in a position he was asked to fill when Wade was sidelined," said Cleary. "It's really tough on Lance but Wade is our first-choice fullback and he showed what a quality player he is in that position the moment he came back from his lay-off." The McKinnon-Hohaia swap is predictably the only change to the starting line-up that won 30-13 last Friday night to eliminate the Sydney Roosters from the finals race. Saturday night's match will be poignant for captain Steve Price and fellow prop Evarn Tuimavave. They'll both move within one match of landmark appearances, Price with his 299th first-grade match since his debut in 1994 and Tuimavave his 99th since his first in 2002. At the same time, Manly's Steve Menzies will play his 348th match, one short of equalling Terry Lamb's all-time competition record of 349. Price is set to become only the 11th player in history to play 300 first-grade games - team-mate Ruben Wiki became the 10th earlier this season - while Tuimavave is poised to join 12 other players who have appeared in 100 first-grade matches for the Vodafone Warriors. In the last month the Vodafone Warriors have won four consecutive sudden-death matches. They beat Penrith (42-20) and Parramatta (28-6) to claim a spot in the top eight before going on to account for Melbourne 18-15 and then the Roosters to move within one win of making the club's second grand final appearance. Having won two matches at home and two away in the last month, the Vodafone Warriors head into the 12th finals match in the club's history with a 15 win-11 loss record so far this season. In finals matches they now have a record of six wins and five losses. In winning 10 of their last 12 matches, the Vodafone Warriors have included successes against Melbourne (twice), Cronulla, Brisbane and the Roosters but they haven't been able to beat Manly in three attempts this year, losing a pre-season trial on the Sunshine Coast, being humiliated 6-52 at Brookvale Oval in March and then dropping their home clash 14-20 in June. "You look at Manly and you just can't find weaknesses," said Cleary. "They've played extremely well this season and we'll need a huge effort in all areas if we're to be in contention against them. We played very well in the second half against the Roosters but we'll need to be at that level from the outset to stay in the game with Manly." The Sea Eagles have had a week off since trouncing St George Illawarra 38-6 in week one of the finals series. Vodafone Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei made it 16 tries in 16 matches this season with his touchdown against the Roosters, giving him 45 in 74 appearances overall (fourth behind Stacey Jones, Francis Meli and Clinton Toopi on the club's all-time list). He is now fourth on the NRL's 2008 try-scoring list with Manly fullback Brett Stewart leading on 20 in 22 games. Vatuvei also lies second on the list for most line breaks with 19, just behind Slater who has 21 but he has played 22 games. With 27 tackles against the Roosters, loose forward Micheal Luck is once again the NRL's leading tackler with 928, well clear of Parramatta's Nathan Hindmarsh (909). Vodafone Warriors V Manly Sea Eagles Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney 7.45pm, Saturday, September 27 Vodafone Warriors 1 Wade McKinnon 2 Aidan Kirk 3 Brent Tate 4 Jerome Ropati 5 Manu Vatuvei 6 Michael Witt 7 Nathan Fien 8 Ruben Wiki 9 Ian Henderson 10 Steve Price (C) 11 Simon Mannering 12 Ben Matulino 13 Micheal Luck Interchange (Two To Be Omitted): 14 Lance Hohaia 15 Epalahame Lauaki 16 Sam Rapira 17 Grant Rovelli 18 Logan Swann 19 Evarn Tuimavave Coach: Ivan Cleary Warriors upset that judicial process failed McKinnon Thu September 4, 2008 by Matthew O'Neill Source: www.warriors.co.nz Vodafone Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah tonight claimed justice had not been served by the NRL in its handling of a contrary conduct charge against fullback Wade McKinnon. McKinnon was last night suspended for three matches by the NRL's judiciary on a charge of spitting at or in the direction of sideline official Brett Suttor during last Sunday's clash against Penrith at Mt Smart Stadium. The Vodafone Warriors, bitterly disappointed with that decision, sought leave to appeal the suspension but late today NRL judiciary chairman Judge Greg Woods declined the application. In his judgment, he said the verdict 'was not unreasonable and not insupportable on the evidence.' "We find it very difficult to accept that," said Scurrah. "There were a number of inconsistencies presented in the evidence against Wade and certainly no clear evidence he intentionally spat at the touch judge. "It's our belief that Wade has been poorly treated throughout this process, ever since Brett Suttor accused Wade of spitting at him. "However, we realise the NRL's judicial process has now played out and we have no choice but to accept the suspension and move on." McKinnon said he was devastated but would turn his attention to giving his total support to his team-mates in their efforts to win their final regular season match against Parramatta on Saturday night. "I'm shattered about this. I didn't spit at or even near the touch judge. I wouldn't do that," he said. "But I have to get past it. I have no choice. All I want now is for the boys to get the job done against the Eels. "I also want to say that I really appreciate the fantastic efforts the club has gone to supporting me through this." Scurrah said while Saturday night's match was the critical focus the club couldn't move on from the outcome of the McKinnon case without comment. "While we believe in the sanctity of match officials and fully endorse efforts to protect them, in this case we absolutely support Wade in his contention that he did not spit at the touch judge. That position has not changed and it won't change. "In our opinion and that of our legal representative Geoff Bellew, the decision to find Wade guilty was reached on inconclusive evidence and that's why we expected to be granted an appeal. "We note that last night the NRL's counsel Peter Kite urged the judiciary to impose a suspension of between nine and 11 weeks, describing the offence as reprehensible. "If that's the case, why then did the panel suspend Wade for only three matches? It's our opinion that, in light of that sentence, the judiciary members were anything but convinced. "This case has been given extraordinary coverage in the media since Sunday, to the point Wade had been tried and found guilty before we even had a chance to present our case at the hearing. "It's our belief that this also may have proved prejudicial to our cause." News Source: www.warriors.co.nz
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