League: Warriors treat fans to solid win over Titans

Issac Luke showed promising signs in his Warriors debut.

The Warriors put on a pleasing performance in front of more than 8000 Northland supporters as they streaked to a 40-18 win in their pre-season NRL Trial match against the Gold Coast Titans at Whangarei's Toll Stadium.

New signing Issac Luke, veteran Manu Vatuvei and comeback second-rower Ben Henry all came through their first appearances of the year unscathed, and the trio left the field as planned shortly before halftime and didn't return despite making strong contributions.

"I thought the boys were excellent," assistant coach Andrew Webster said of the performance.

"For your first hitout you don't know what to expect because you've done all the work but you want to see it in practice, and I thought particularly our pack rolled down the field really well and Issac Luke brought those big guys on to the ball really well."

There was much to like in the Warriors' showing, including tries to up-and-comers Bunty Afoa and Semisi Tyrell who between them scored four of the side's seven tries.

Luke was slick out of dummy half and Vatuvei produced some strong carries up the middle in his first appearance since shoulder surgery.

Henry was good in his first outing since undergoing a second knee reconstruction, with Webster noting that his trademark work ethic and "his detail and edge" were unsurpassed.

In the curtain-raiser match a New South Wales Cup selection prevailed 40-12 over a club NYC combination in an all-Vodafone Warriors trial at Toll Stadium.

Finding success in the day's opening fixture, a Warriors Academy selection recovered from a 0-12 deficit to pile on 11 tries and beat the Northern Swords Academy 56-16 in a trial match.

It took the best part of 15 minutes before the Vodafone Warriors Academy side was able to enjoy time in the Swords' territory.

The incursion brought immediate joy, too, with a shift right giving centre Preston Riki - signed from Northland - an easy passage to the line.

Down 12-40 near the end of play, the Swords at last enjoyed some respite when Wiremu Greig intercepted and scampered 35 metres to score.

Vodafone Warriors 40 (Raymond Faitala-Mariner 3, Semisi Tyrell 2, Bunty Afoa 2 tries; Issac Luke 2 conversions; Ata Hingano 4 conversions) Gold Coast Titans 18 (Blake Anderson, Matt Robinson, Tyronne Roberts-Davies, Morgan Boyle tries; Jamal Fogarty conversion) HT: 16-8.