The Warriors haven't had a lot to cheer about lately but they will be buoyed by the return of hooker Nathan Friend from a troubling shoulder injury.
Friend suffered complications with off-season shoulder surgery that saw him needing to go under the knife twice but assistant coach Andrew McFadden has confirmed he is fit to play against the Cowboys at Mt Smart Stadium today.
The Warriors have lost their first three games of the season, on top of the eight consecutive defeats to round out 2011, and are desperate to secure their first win since last July.
Friend's return is a fillip but the problems are too deep for just one player to solve and it will require a team effort to beat the Cowboys.
Friend's inclusion means Elijah Taylor drops to the interchange bench, with a decision still to be made over whether Taylor or Pita Godinet drop out of the playing squad.