As it happened: New Zealand Warriors v North Queensland Cowboys

Blake Green of the Warriors. Photo / Getty

All the action as the Warriors took on the Cowboys in Townsville.

The Warriors have been dealt another blow with an ankle injury ruling in-form wing David Fusitu'a out of Friday night's NRL clash against North Queensland in Townsville.

The 23-year-old rolled his ankle after leaping to contest a high ball during the side's captain's run today and will watch from the grandstand as his teammates take on the Cowboys at 1300Smiles Stadium.

Reserve back Gerard Beale will replace Fusitu'a on the right flank as the Warriors look to build on last week's impressive 34-14 win over Manly in Christchurch.

"He landed on another one of the boys' foot and rolled his ankle so he won't be playing tomorrow," said Warriors coach Stephen Kearney.

"But I'm very comfortable with Gerard coming into the side."

The injury is set to ruin Fusitu'a's hopes of turning out for Tonga in the mid-season Pacific Test against Samoa in Sydney next Saturday, with Kearney saying it was "very unlikely" he'd recover in time for the match at Campbelltown Stadium.

Fusitu'a has been in top form throughout the first half of the season, with his hat-trick of tries against the Sea Eagles putting him three clear at the top of the NRL's top tryscorers list with 15 four-pointers so far this year.

Kearney hopes Fusitu'a will be back on deck for the Warriors' next home game against Cronulla on June 29, following next week's stand-alone representative weekend.

"I anticipate that but it's hard to say," he said.

Fusitu'a's absence comes just as the Warriors welcome back captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck from an ankle injury that kept him out of last week's game at AMI Stadium.

Tuivasa-Sheck came through today's session unscathed and is in line to play his first game since departing play late in the round 12 loss to South Sydney at Mt Smart Stadium.

The Kiwi international's comeback allows backline utility Peta Hiku to return to centre after switching between fullback and five-eighth in the Warriors last three matches.

Back-up halfback Mason Lino was the other player scratched from the Warriors extended 21-man squad named on Tuesday.