Senior Warriors front-rower Sam Rapira is rated a 50-50 chance of making his first NRL appearance of the season against Gold Coast in Auckland on Saturday night.

The Kiwi Test prop, who injured his shoulder in a pre-season match against South Sydney, hasn’t been named in the squad to face the Titans.

However, coach Brian McClennan says Rapira could be a late inclusion.

“He’s a 50-50 chance,” McClennan said.

“He made some pretty good progress early in the week.”

The final decision would be based on how he pulled up after an opposed training run on Wednesday night and a subsequent wrestle session.

Rapira’s availability would be a boost to the Warriors.

He is one of three frontline forwards, along with Queensland Origin prop Jacob Lillyman and experienced lock Micheal Luck, who have missed the opening three weeks that have brought one win and two losses.

McClennan also said key playmaker James Maloney had appeared to have come through a high tackle during the 32-18 defeat to Canterbury last Sunday with no ill-effects.

The five-eighth’s chances of taking the field against the Titans were “pretty good”.

Maloney wasn’t at training on Wednesday, his wife having given birth to a daughter the day before.

Meanwhile, McClennan saluted the contribution of skipper Simon Mannering, who will complete a double of 150 NRL appearances and 50 as captain when he runs out at Mt Smart Stadium.

McClennan said one incident late in the opening half against the Bulldogs, when Mannering pulled off a “phenomenal” try-saving tackle on winger Bryson Goodwin, typified the second-rower.

“At the back end of the game, when we were behind by four and we had them in their 10 or 20, he made three or four tackles in a row and worked really hard trying to get us back in the game,” he said.

“They’re the sort of things that perhaps people don’t notice but, in-house here, we notice and he’s very valued.”