Simon Mannering takes part in an NRL pre-season training session. Photo / Kenny Rodger
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The Warriors will welcome back five internationals for their second pre-season trial against North Queensland at Albany on Sunday.
Skipper Steve Price, calf injury, and centre Brent Tate, hip flexor injury, who both missed the Kangaroos' World Cup loss to the Kiwis last year, will play their first
game since beating Fiji in the World Cup semifinals.
Kiwis Simon Mannering, Nathan Fien and Jerome Ropati are also confirmed starters for the match at North Harbour Stadium. Coach Ivan Cleary will name the rest of his starting line-up late this week but has already signalled he will give a run to all those top-grade players who did not feature in the 24-12 win over Melbourne.
The Warriors under-20s squad will play an Auckland Vulcans side stacked with Warriors in the curtainraiser.
One World Cup Kiwi who will not play is prop Evarn Tuimavave, who is struggling with a neck injury that will keep him out of the start of the season.
As replacement the club has picked up former Navy man Jesse Royal, 29, on a two-year contract. He played at Newcastle for the past two seasons but was resigned to a job as a coalminer after being cut by the Knights.
The Knights have lost former Warriors wing Cooper Vuna for six weeks after he tore medial ligaments.
Sacked Shark Greg Bird and former Melbourne backrower Michael Crocker have been refused visas to play in England. Bird faces a hearing in April for assaulting his girlfriend while Crocker has already been convicted of public affray.
