NRL: Ropati returns to Warriors line-up

Kiwis international Jerome Ropati returns to the New Zealand Warriors' starting lineup in the only change for their crunch National Rugby League (NRL) match against the Broncos in Brisbane on Friday night.

After being axed for the previous two matches against Newcastle and Gold Coast, Ropati was recalled by coach Ivan Cleary to replace Patrick Ah Van.

He will partner former Bronco Joel Moon in another reshuffle of the centres.

Ah Van was named on an extended six-man bench, alongside forward Russell Packer who missed the cut for last Saturday's 12-28 loss to the Titans.

The Warriors badly need a victory over the Broncos to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

"We're in very much the same position we were last week for the Gold Coast match," Cleary said.

"It comes down to us needing to show some improvements in some key areas, especially on attack, and we'll give ourselves every chance of being in contention.

"We didn't put together the performance we expected against the Titans but we also know we're not far away from getting things right."

The Warriors will be out to end a run of six winless matches on Australian soil, stretching back to their upset victory over Manly in round two in March.

This week they drifted to A$34 to win the premiership with Australia's TAB Sportsbet, with St George-Illawarra Dragons the $4.50 favourites.

To make the top-eight the Warriors are A$4.50, while they are A$1.16 to miss the top-eight.

At the completion of round 16 last night, the Warriors remained 11th on the NRL ladder, three points outside the top-eight.

With 28 points the predicted cut-off mark for the playoffs, they need to win at least seven of their last 10 games to make it.

Their opponents have issues of their own, with their 14-21 defeat to Parramatta on Sunday their fourth in a row. It saw the Broncos slip to ninth on the ladder.

"The Broncos' run of results doesn't mean that much at all," Cleary said.

"They might have been battling but so have we. Our focus has to be on the quality of our performance."

Warriors: Wade McKinnon, Kevin Locke, Jerome Ropati, Joel Moon, Manu Vatuvei, Lance Hohaia, Stacey Jones, Sam Rapira, Ian Henderson, Steve Price (captain), Simon Mannering, Lewis Brown, Micheal Luck. Interchange: Aaron Heremaia, Jesse Royal, Ben Matulino, Jacob Lillyman, Patrick Ah Van, Russell Packer (two to be omitted).

- NZPA