League: Waiting game before finalising team to face Eels

Warriors Konrad Hurrell. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Warriors coach Brian McClennan will wait until later this week before finalising his line-up for Monday's match with the Eels, even though Krisnan Inu and Konrad Hurrell have been named in the centres to replace an injured Jerome Ropati.

Hurrell was named to start the season opener against Manly on Sunday, but began the match on the bench before impressing when he got on to the field.

McClennan has once again named a 20-man squad, with uncapped back-rower Sebastine Ikahihifo added to the seven-man bench.

Having been left out of a season-opening match for the second year in a row, Inu played for the Vulcans on Saturday. While he scored a try and kicked three goals in the 18-24 defeat to Newcastle, his form was patchy at best.

With McClennan having given a strong indication he will back the club's young talent, Ben Henry should retain his spot on the bench despite a shaky first half on debut against Manly.

"We're a team with a lot of growth to do yet, a team with a lot of improvement," McClennan said. "There were many, many things we could have done better against Manly."

While he expected the team's attacking structure to improve with time, McClennan was most concerned about a defence that struggled to contain Manly in the opening 20 minutes of Sunday's 26-20 defeat.

"Defensively we got caught out a few times as well and we were a bit disappointed in that because we did a lot of work in the pre-season," he said. "All in all, after reviewing the match there's so much improvement in us that we have to strive for."

Much of the focus this week will be on eliminating ball-handling errors, particularly early in tackle counts. After coughing up five errors against the Sea Eagles, wing Manu Vatuvei will be under scrutiny, as will fullback Kevin Locke, whose mixed outing included a try, a try-saving tackle, a spilled bomb and being tackled over the sideline on a kick return.

There was some partial relief on the injury front yesterday, with an MRI revealing Ropati's injury wasn't as bad as first feared. Initial assessments put the recovery period at up to eight weeks, however that has been downgraded to three or four.

After sitting out round one with a knee injury, Jarryd Hayne is expected to return for the Eels although coach Stephen Kearney said it wasn't certain.

"The likelihood is he'll be back but he only ran on a treadmill last week," Kearney said. "It's a matter of how he pulls up after running and twisting himself over the next week. Obviously I'd like him to be in the side."

WARRIORS
Parramatta Stadium, 9pm Monday

Kevin Locke
Bill Tupou
Konrad Hurrell
Krisnan Inu
Manu Vatuvei
James Maloney
Shaun Johnson
Sione Lousi
Nathan Friend
Ben Matulino
Feleti Mateo
S. Mannering (c)
Elijah Taylor

Warriors: Russell Packer, Ukuma Ta'ai, Ben Henry, Lewis Brown, Glen Fisiiahi, Alehana Mara, Sebastine Ikahihifo.

EELS

Luke Burt
Ken Sio
Esi Tonga
Ryan Morgan
Cheyse Blair
Ben Roberts
Chris Sandow
Tim Mannah
Matt Keating
Mitchell Allgood
N. Hindmarsh
Taniela Lasalo
Reni Maitua

Eels: (From) Casey McGuire, Fuifui Moimoi, Justin Poore, Justin Horo, Pat O'Hanlon, Joseph Paulo