All the action as the Warriors hosted the Roosters at Mt Smart Stadium.
A shoulder injury will prevent Warriors hooker Issac Luke from playing in tomorrow's NRL clash against the Sydney Roosters.
Luke has been cut from the side for the Indigenous Round match at Mt Smart Stadium to continue his recovery from a dislocated shoulder suffered in the second-half of last week's 26-4 win over Wests Tigers.
Reserve hooker Karl Lawton has been promoted to the starting line-up after impressing as Luke's replacement last week, with a match-winning two-try contribution off the bench in his first NRL outing for the Warriors.
Luke's absence leaves the Warriors further down on first-choice playmakers with star halfback Shaun Johnson also sidelined with an ankle injury that also has him in doubt for next week's away clash against Parramatta in Sydney.
Front-rower Albert Vete was the other player cut from the extended 21-man squad named on Tuesday, with coach Stephen Kearney to confirm his playing 17 an hour before kickoff.
Fill-in halfback Mason Lino is primed to make his fourth appearance in the No 7 jersey alongside game managing five-eighth Blake Green, after replacing Johnson in the round four 30-6 win over the Roosters and later against the Cowboys and Storm.
The side will miss Luke's running out of dummyhalf and strong defence around the ruck, but Lawton's quality first-up performance will give them confidence that they can maintain their winning form and add to their impressive 7-2 season start.
The underperforming Roosters have alternated between wins and losses over the last seven weeks, but will be desperate to find some consistency after last week's hard-fought 22-20 victory over Manly.
The visitors have their own concerns at hooker, with co-captain Jake Friend carrying a cracked sternum that's required pain-killing injections for him to get through the past month of football.
The Trent Robinson-coached side is also without aggressive young forward Victor Radley who was suspended for one match after being charged for a high shot on Sea Eagles enforcer Martin Taupau.
The Roosters will be fired up to make amends for their poor display when the two sides last met in March, but it remains to be seen whether they can match the home side's forward power and contain their potent backline.
UPDATED TEAM LISTS: Warriors v Roosters at Mt Smart Stadium, Saturday, 5pm
Warriors: 1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c) 2. David Fusitu'a 3. Peta Hiku 4. Solomone Kata 5. Ken Maumalo 6. Blake Green 7. Mason Lino 8. Bunty Afoa 14. Karl Lawton 10. Agnatius Paasi 11. Simon Mannering 12. Tohu Harris 13. Adam Blair
Interchange: 15. Sam Lisone 16. Isaiah Papali'i 17. James Gavet 18. Sam Cook 20. Jazz Tevaga 21. Albert Vete 22. Anthony Gelling
Sydney Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Joseph Manu 3. Latrell Mitchell 4. Mitchell Aubusson 5. Blake Ferguson 6. Luke Keary 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Sio Siua Taukeiaho 9. Jake Friend 10. Dylan Napa 11. Boyd Cordner (c) 12. Ryan Matterson 13. Isaac Liu
Interchange: 14. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 15. Zane Tetevano 16. Kurt Baptiste 18. Nat Butcher 19. Sitili Tupouniua 23. Lindsay Collins
Refs: Matt Cecchin, Jon Stone
On the surface, the Warriors draw for the 2025 season is quite kind