NRL: Warriors unchanged for Melbourne

The New Zealand Warriors have retained an unchanged squad for their National Rugby League match against Melbourne Storm on Saturday.

Both the starting 13 and the bench are the same as took part in the 17-16 golden-point win over the Sydney Roosters in Auckland last weekend.

With Wade McKinnon still sidelined with a hamstring injury, Lance Hohaia will again operate at fullback in Melbourne.

Hohaia, who had missed four matches due to a knee injury, was a late inclusion as McKinnon's replacement against the Roosters.

"We want Wade to be completely right rather than risking him having a serious hamstring injury," coach Ivan Cleary said today.

"He's making good progress, but we're not going to rush things. We're also fortunate that we can call on a replacement as qualified as Lance."

Hohaia was one of the Warriors' busiest players against the Roosters, making a game-high 23 runs and also the most metres with 179m.

It was a break from near his own goalline that gave the Warriors the field position from which veteran halfback Stacey Jones slotted the decisive field goal.

Simon Mannering has been named in the centres, having started there against the Roosters before moving to his more usual role of second rower during the first half.

Selected as 18th man for the first time is Cantabrian Lewis Brown, who is yet to make his first-grade debut.

A hooker or back rower, Brown joined the Warriors in the off-season after stints with the Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers.

He has impressed this year for the Auckland Vulcans in the New South Wales Cup.

New Zealand Warriors: Lance Hohaia, Denan Kemp, Simon Mannering, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, Joel Moon, Stacey Jones, Sam Rapira, Ian Henderson, Steve Price (captain), Ben Matulino, Jacob Lillyman, Micheal Luck.

Interchange: Nathan Fien, Russell Packer, Jesse Royal, Ben Matulino, Patrick Ah Van.

- NZPA