The Junior Kiwis selectors have today named a squad of 18 for their match against the Junior Kangaroos in Townsville on October 13.

The squad features five members of the team that beat the Junior Kangaroos 28-16 in Newcastle last year. Among them are last year’s captain Carlos Tuimavave, who is one of seven named from the Vodafone Warriors, and Jason Taumalolo from the North Queensland Cowboys, who was the NZRL’s Junior Player of the Year in 2011. The other returning players are Tohu Harris (Melbourne Storm), Siliva Havili (Warriors) and Wayne Ulugia (Cowboys).

Tuimavave and Taumalolo, who were also part of the Junior Kiwis back in 2010, have had big seasons. Taumalolo was involved with the Cowboys NRL finals campaign and he was a member of the Kiwis squad for April’s VB Test in Auckland. Tuimavave got his call-up to the Warriors NRL team late in their campaign and he was also named in the Toyota Cup ‘Team of the Year’.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was another to impress in the NRL and to also make that top Toyota Cup selection. The Sydney Roosters hot-stepper is one of the newcomers to the Junior Kiwis squad. The winger/fullback has made the most rapid of rises after captaining Otahuhu College to their win in the NZRL’s National Secondary Schools Tournament last year.

Two players in the John Ackland-coached Junior Kiwis squad come off the high of a Toyota Cup grand final win with the Wests Tigers. They’re the prop Mosese Fotuaika and the second rower Jesse Sue, who scored a try in the Tigers 46-6 victory over the Canberra Raiders on Sunday.

The Junior Kiwis play the Junior Kangaroos at Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville, as the curtain-raiser to the Kiwis vs Kangaroos match.

2012 JUNIOR KIWIS

David Bhana, Vodafone Warriors

Mosese Fotuaika, Wests Tigers

David Fusitua, Vodafone Warriors

Tohu Harris, Melbourne Storm

Siliva Havili, Vodafone Warriors

Jeremy Hawkins, Canberra Raiders

Peta Hiku, Vodafone Warriors

Ngataua Hukatai, Vodafone Warriors

Toka Likiliki, Vodafone Warriors

Penani Manumalealii, Cronulla Sharks

Api Pewhairangi, Newcastle Knights

Curtis Rona, Sydney Roosters

Tupou Sopoaga, Canterbury Bulldogs

Jesse Sue, Wests Tigers

Jason Taumalolo, North Queensland Cowboys

Carlos Tuimavave, Vodafone Warriors

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Sydney Roosters

Wayne Ulugia, North Queensland Cowboys

2012 JUNIOR KIWIS MATCH SCHEDULE

October 13 - vs Junior Kangaroos, Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville