Rugby League: Warriors squad roulette continues ahead of NRL clash against North Queensland Cowboys

Name: ANZ Sports Scene: Israel Folau fights back
Uploaded: 2019-04-19T06:30:00+12:00
Duration: 306 s
Description: Israel Folau has hired heavyweight lawyer Rami Qutami to help save his rugby career, Otere Black could be the next cab off the rank to fill the Damian McKenzie void for the All Blacks and Warriors star Blake Green looks uncertain to take the field against the Cowboys.

By Christopher Reive

Multimedia Journalist·NZ Herald·

19 Apr, 2019 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Israel Folau has hired heavyweight lawyer Rami Qutami to help save his rugby career, Otere Black could be the next cab off the rank to fill the Damian McKenzie void for the All Blacks and Warriors star Blake Green looks uncertain to take the field against the Cowboys.

In the NRL, squad continuity is a luxury, one the Warriors have not had in the early rounds of the season.

Ahead of their round six clash against the North Queensland Cowboys tonight at Mt Smart Stadium, injuries and inconsistent performances have forced coach Stephen Kearney to move parts around in the hope of finding that winning formula.

Through just five matches this season, the Warriors have named three different players in the starting hooker position, while last weekend Peta Hiku became their fourth half for the season.

"Chopping and changing with our dummy halves, it's an important position in the team," Kearney said after Karl Lawton started in the No9 jersey against the Gold Coast Titans in round four.

"After Nate [Nathaniel Roache] hurt his calf after round one then with Bully [Issac Luke] having not played at all then played most of the game in round two, he had to come off after 40 minutes in round three.

"It's been a little bit jumbled there and a little bit mixed."

Barring a late injury, this will be the first time all season the Warriors roll out an unchanged forward pack. Although prop Agnatius Paasi and second rower Tohu Harris have held their spots, others have been in and out of the starting side or given a positional shift from one week to the next.

Instead, it's the backline that will see at least one late change.

Halfback Blake Green will miss his second game in a row after being unable to recover from a groin injury. Hiku will return to the halves. Gerard Beale will start in the centres.

On Thursday, there was still some concern around the status of centre Solomone Kata (ankle) as well, after he was also injured in last weekend's loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs but he has been passed fit.

The Warriors' results this season have been as inconsistent as their match day squads. After an impressive start to the season, the Warriors fell into a rut before looking to have broken out of it against the Titans in round four. Now with a 2-3 record, they sit 11th on the ladder and remain in touch with the top teams.

With the Cowboys in a state of flux following the retirement of half Johnathan Thurston at the end of last year and reeling toward the bottom of the ladder, it's an opportunity for the Warriors to set the tone for the weeks to come.