KEY POINTS:
The Cowboys have not tasted victory since mid-April when they beat the Warriors 48-20 in Townsville and their injury-hit side shapes as the easiest prey the home team will get at Mt Smart in the run-up to the finals.
Much will be made of Ruben Wiki's achievement of becoming the 10th player - and the first Kiwi - to reach the 300-game milestone in the Australian premiership and it's a pity the game clashes with the All Blacks test, which is sure to hit the crowd figure.
The Warriors lifted for Wiki's 300th against Wests Tigers in Sydney and there is every reason to expect them to do the same for him at home.
The side that beat the Tigers is bolstered by the return of captain Steve Price and centre Brent Tate after Queensland's successful State of Origin campaign and the high those two players are on after great performances in the interstate game plus the X-factor they bring to the Warriors should also lift them.
The two players to shift back to the bench are Sam Rapira and Jerome Ropati.
Rookie Ben Matulino and half Michael Witt are retained on a five-man bench, with Epalahame Lauaki missing out.
Sonny Fai beats Ropati to the left centre spot after a strong display against the Tigers in which he scored a try and set one up for Lance Hohaia.
Ropati's mistake rate in recent games has cost him, but he seems likely to be in the four who come off the interchange, with either 19-year-old Matulino or Witt dropping out.
The Cowboys have a long casualty list that includes three of their big-name players. Prop Carl Webb is out three weeks with an ankle ligament tear, Warriors 2009 buy Jacob Lillyman is recovering from a shoulder reconstruction and fullback Matt Bowen's season has been destroyed by a knee problem.
Also unavailable for this game are utility Justin Smith who has a shoulder problem. And Origin player Luke O'Donnell remains suspended.
The Cowboys have dropped Chris Sheppard from the halves and use Anthony Watts at five-eighth.
The Warriors must win six of their last nine games to make the playoffs. If they cannot beat a weakened Cowboys side at home, they are not going to beat a top-eight side away.
* Meanwhile, the Cowboys have signed giant South Sydney bench prop Manase Manukuafoa, 23, for three years from 2009.
Tigers halfback Matt Head suffered shoulder and thumb injuries during the loss to the Warriors a fortnight ago and will miss two more weeks.
The Titans injury woes have deepened with Brenton Bowen suffering a fractured cheekbone and Luke O'Dwyer an AC joint problem during the loss to the Eagles last weekend.
But Kiwis centre Steve Matai has made a good recovery from internal bruising and may play in the top-of-the-table clash against the Sharks at Cronulla.
Mt Smart Stadium, 7.30pm Saturday
WARRIORS
Lance Hohaia
Malo Solomona
Brent Tate
Sonny Fai
Aidan Kirk
Nathan Fien
Grant Rovelli
Ruben Wiki
Ian Henderson
Steve Price (c)
Simon Mannering
Logan Swann
Micheal Luck
COWBOYS
Mark Henry
Brandon Boor
Ashley Graham
Ben Harris
John Williams
Anthony Watts
J Thurston
Ray Cashmere
Aaron Payne
Shane Tronc
Sione Faumuina
Scott Bolton
Steve Southern
Warriors (from): Jerome Ropati, Evarn Tuimavave, Sam Rapira, Ben Matulino, Michael Witt.
Cowboys (from): Ben Farrar, Ben Vaeau, Greg Byrnes, Dayne Weston, Sam Faust.
