Struggling to rebound after two heartbreaking NRL losses, the Warriors will take on Cronulla in Auckland on Sunday without captain Simon Mannering and exciting young centre Konrad Hurrell.
Mannering will sit out another week after missing last Saturday night’s nail-biting loss to Manly with an ankle injury, while Hurrell has been ruled out with a foot injury.
Coach Brian McClennan rates them both as week-by-week propositions, and in Hurrell’s absence has named Ben Henry in the centres, which is where he has started in all 18 matches until being switched to the second-row against the Sea Eagles.
Elijah Taylor moves into the second-row while 2010-2011 NYC premiership winner Sebastine Ikahihifo starts at lock after making his debut from the bench last week.
The Warriors desperately need a win after squandering 18-0 leads two weeks in a row, losing 24-22 to Manly in Perth on Saturday and 24-19 to Newcastle a week earlier.
Twelfth on the table, the Warriors remain just two points out of the top eight and have targeted a big performance on Sunday as stand-in captain Manu Vatuvei looks to become the first player to score 100 tries for the club after crossing for his 99th last weekend.
Hooker Nathan Friend is another reaching a significant milestone, as he’ll rack up his 150th NRL game in his 15th appearance for the Warriors after 135 games previously for Brisbane, Melbourne and Gold Coast.
Another product of the Warriors’ development system, Carlos Tuimavave, joins a bench which includes Steve Rapira, returning from a hamstring injury, and regulars Sione Lousi and Jacob Lillyman.
McClennan rates the versatile Tuimavave highly.
“He’s a player with lots of ability and he’ll give us cover in the halves, the centres at fullback and maybe even loose forward if needed,” he said.
Workhorse back-rower Micheal Luck, who has been plagued by injury in his last season before retirement, will return for the Auckland Vulcans in the NSW Cup this weekend.
Warriors: Kevin Locke, Bill Tupou, Ben Henry, Lewis Brown, Manu Vatuvei (capt), James Maloney, Shaun Johnson, Russell Packer, Nathan Friend, Ben Matulino, Feleti Mateo, Elijah Taylor, Sebastine Ikahihifo. Interchange: Carlos Tuimavave, Sione Lousi, Jacob Lillyman, Steve Rapira, Ukuma Ta’ai.
