League: Couple for Warriors to watch

The Parramatta Eels will field two players of particular interest to the Warriors when the sides meet at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday night in a game that may ultimately decide the playoff chances of either team.

Eels fullback Wade McKinnon switches to Auckland next season, and the match will enable his performance to be judged against that of the outgoing Brent Webb.

And returning to halfback after a four-week ban for pushing referee Sean Hampstead as the Eels lost 8-1 to the Dragons in June is Jeremy Smith, named for the Kiwis test in Great Britain and then withdrawn.

Has he got the discipline and will he be good enough after the long break?

Smith will be a pressure point for the Warriors runners off the ruck and scrum. He gets another chance because of injury to Tim Smith, who broke his collarbone during the Eels' 46-12 win over Newcastle.

Not available because of injury were Michael Vella (ankle), and Justin Tsoulos and Aaron Cannings (shoulders).

Eels second-rower Nathan Hindmarsh yesterday escaped penalty after admitting a dangerous throw charge, and will play.

Ben Smith returns to midfield after coming from the bench last week, Daniel Wagon is demoted to the interchange. The rest of the team is the same as the one that thrashed the Knights.

The Warriors have retained much the same team that lost to the Bulldogs in overtime, and will take confidence from their recent stability.

George Gatis takes over from Lance Hohaia as bench hooker in what coach Ivan Cleary said was a horses-for-courses approach.

Wairangi Koopu, who will be playing his 50th consecutive game, will start in the second row and Louis Anderson will shift to lock, presumably to stiffen defence. Sione Faumuina is sent to the bench, presumably to provide greater impact as the Eels tire.

The Warriors have a far better attacking record than the Eels this season. Their points-scored total of 418 is third in the NRL behind the Bulldogs' 431 and Newcastle's 441.

And their plus-93 points differential is the second-best in the competition, against the Eels' minus-45.

The Eels revealed after their last win that they had set a goal of three consecutive victories to pull within sight of the top-eight. With six wins and four points from byes, they are in 12th place on 16 points, two ahead of the Warriors, who have won two more games but lost four points to a salary cap penalty.

Playoff chances are slight for both - each would have to win all but one of their remaining games. But a loss on Saturday night would definitely end all hope for the Warriors.


Mt Smart Stadium, 7.30pm Saturday

Warriors
Brent Webb, Patrick Ah Van, Tony Martin, Simon Mannering, Manu Vatuvei, Jerome Ropati, Grant Rovelli, Ruben Wiki, Nathan Fien, Steve Price (c), Awen Guttenbeil, Wairangi Koopu, Louis Anderson
Interchange: George Gatis, Evarn Tuimavave, Sione Faumuina, Micheal Luck.

Eels
Wade McKinnon, Jarryd Hayne, Luke O'Dwyer, Ben Smith, Eric Grothe, John Morris, Jeremy Smith, Nathan Cayless, Mark Riddell, Fuifui Moimoi, Nathan Hindmarsh, Chad Robinson, Glenn Morrison
Interchange: PJ Marsh, Dean Widders, Josh Cordoba, Daniel Wagon.