Warriors name extended squad for long-haul trip to Perth

Vodafone Warrior Ken Maumalo takes a high catch at training. Photo / Nick Reed, NZ Herald

Utility Dominique Peyroux and wing Ken Maumalo have been included in an extended Warriors squad to make the long-haul trip to Perth for Saturday's NRL encounter with the South Sydney Rabbitohs (3.30pm kick-off local time; 7.30pm NZT).

The 19-man squad depart tomorrow looking for their first win in their seventh visit to Western Australia, with coach Andrew McFadden relying on the same starting side that did the job in Sunday's tense 24-20 win over the Newcastle Knights.

Fullback Sam Tomkins and wing Manu Vatuvei are both set to play again after returning from knee and sternum injuries against the Knights.

"We haven't won there, they're the facts, [and] we intend to change that this weekend," McFadden said.

"Both Sam and Manu were a little bit sore after the game but both have pulled up really well so it should be as close to 1 to 17 as we can.

"We'll take a couple of extra players just because it's such a long trip and we've still got some heavy sessions over there."

As they have the past two seasons, the Warriors head to Perth early to give players every chance of adjusting to the five-hour time difference.

"It just takes a little bit of time to get on the time zone there," McFadden explained.

"Quite often we wake up quite early in the morning. It just gives players that extra day just to get back on the right zone."

The afternoon kick-off time is an improvement on last year's early evening match against the Rabbitohs that started after midnight New Zealand time.

The Warriors dominated the first hour against the eventual premiers before being run down by the fast-finishing Rabbitohs.

"It puts it in a more normal time zone for us. Last year we kicked off at 7.30pm which is 12.30pm local time which doesn't make it good for the supporters that's for sure," McFadden explained.

"But it is not dissimilar for both teams. There's only two hours difference between us and Sydney so they've got their own challenges."

The Warriors have momentum on their side following three consecutive wins over Cronulla, Parramatta and Newcastle to improve their record to better than 50 per cent for the first time this season with six wins and five losses.

It leaves them in seventh spot on the ladder on 14 points, just two outside the top four and level with their 14th-round opponents the Sydney Roosters (fifth) and the Rabbitohs (sixth).

They are in a position to achieve their best winning streak since the 2013 side put together five wins in a row midway through the season.