NRL: Kieran Foran to start for Warriors if cleared

Warriors coach Stephen Kearney rates Kieran Foran a "good chance" of facing St George Illawarra and confirmed that if he is cleared to play, he will start in Sunday's NRL clash at UOW Jubilee Oval.

The former Manly and Parramatta playmaker is in line to make his Warriors debut against the Dragons, after being named among the extended reserves in the Warriors initial 21-man squad.

Foran was in the thick of things, as he ran and directed plays at today's training, while also taking some heavy contact, both with and without the ball.

Kearney insists a decision is still to be made on Foran, who is coming back from a long-term shoulder injury, but if the Kiwis international does receive the green light, he will start the match in place of rookie No6 Ata Hingano.

"No point playing him off the bench," said Kearney.

"He has [still] got to pass a few tests. We need to see how he pulls up today and obviously tomorrow."

Kearney is unconcerned by Foran's lack of match fitness and has no doubts he'll be up to the challenge, despite not having played since round 12 of last season.

"He'll be fine," he said. "He is a pretty intelligent footballer and the smarter footballers know the efficient way to get around the park.

"If he was a front-rower, I would be a little bit more worried, in the sense that they do probably a bit more physical work, but he has looked really good over the last few weeks, in terms of training and what we have put in front of him.

"Everyone knows, when Kieran is playing his best footy, you want him in your team, so that is the asset that he brings."

Doubt also hangs over captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's place in the side, with the fullback due to undergo another follow-up test tomorrow, as he continues to recover from a concussion suffered in the round-two loss to Melbourne.

Meanwhile, sidelined front-rower Ben Matulino is nearing full fitness, after battling a post-operative infection contracted following knee surgery in January.

The infection hindered the 28-year-old's rehabilitation, but he has progressed well in recent weeks and will have a fitness test this weekend.

"He's not too far [off]," said Kearney. "He's coming along better than anticipated, given that he had an infection not long after his surgery.

"He'll have a run on it this weekend, so in terms of time, I'm not 100 per cent sure yet."