Warriors’ back-rower Feleti Mateo will reach the 150-game milestone when he faces Penrith in Saturday’s round-10 NRL clash at Centrebet Stadium.
It will also be the 29-year-old’s 62nd consecutive game since joining the Warriors, the only player in the squad who has appeared in every match since the start of the 2011 season.
Mateo is part of a line-up with just one change from the side that lost 24-16 to Canterbury on Saturday in Wellington.
Sam Rapira returns after being initially selected to start at prop last week before a hand injury – picked up in the round-eight win against Gold Coast – ruled him out.
In his absence, 25-year-old Suaia Matagi made his debut, gaining 32 metres from four carries and making 11 tackles in 19 minutes on the field. Matagi has been included on a five-man bench for the trip to Penrith.
“Suaia looked really comfortable at this level, as we were confident he would be,” Warriors coach Matthew Elliott said.
“He did all we expected of him but now Sam is ready to go again, meaning we’ll have our four experienced front-rowers back in harness once again.”
With Kevin Locke still out with a back injury, Glen Fisiiahi will run on at fullback while Carlos Tuimavave will again start in the centres as Dane Nielsen is still not fully recovered from a rib injury.
Jerome Ropati, who missed the Wellington match with a hamstring strain, has been named to start at fullback for the Vulcans in the NSW Cup on Saturday.
The Warriors face a Penrith side sitting two points ahead of them in 12th spot on the ladder after their 12-10 win over premiers Melbourne on Sunday.
There’ll also be some familiar faces in the opposition camp, not just former Warriors coach Ivan Cleary and assistant David Fairleigh, but also ex-Warriors Lewis Brown, Isaac John and Matt Robinson who all featured against the Storm.
Warriors: Glen Fisiiahi, Bill Tupou, Ben Henry, Carlos Tuimavave, Manu Vatuvei, Thomas Leuluai, Shaun Johnson, Sam Rapira, Nathan Friend, Russell Packer, Feleti Mateo, Simon Mannering (capt), Todd Lowrie. Interchange: Ben Matulino, Jacob Lillyman, Elijah Taylor, Pita Godinet, Suaia Matagi.