KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Warriors will have an unchanged side for the fifth successive week in the National Rugby League (NRL) when they host the Gold Coast Titans in Auckland on Saturday night.
Loose forward Micheal Luck, charged after the Warriors' 31-31 draw with the Sydney Roosters last weekend, has opted for an early guilty plea to a dangerous throw, freeing him up to face the Titans.
He will make his 45th consecutive NRL appearance since joining the Warriors from North Queensland at the beginning of last season.
The workaholic Luck made 40 tackles against the Roosters to become just the second player in the NRL to top 700 tackles this season.
His tally of 729 gives him an average of 36.5 tackles a game, while he has missed just 21 attempts.
Coach Ivan Cleary's decision to put out the same 17 over the past four rounds has resulted in a unbeaten streak of three wins and the pulsating extra-time draw with the Roosters.
"The game against the Roosters has had everyone talking but we have to put it behind us now and think about the Titans," he said.
"They got up for an important win against Wests Tigers on Saturday night and are still in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs."
Cleary said the key to putting in a competitive performance against the Titans would be good preparation and a desperate attitude.
When the two teams met in Carrara in late June, the Warriors, missing skipper Steve Price on Queensland State of Origin duty, won 22-6.
It started a run of five consecutive defeats for the Titans until they beat the Tigers, a result that put them at 10th on the table with 20 points.
The Warriors, fifth with 23 points, have lost just once in their last eight games.
Meanwhile, Price continues to set the pace among all NRL players in metres gained this season, a staggering 323m against the Roosters taking his tally to 3487m.
Another notable statistic is the number of tackle breaks made by interchange back rower Epalahame Lauaki.
His 10 against the Roosters, following his 10 against Newcastle the previous week, have taken his season's total to 70.
Despite playing fewer average minutes per game than others, Lauaki had produced more tackle breaks than any Warrior bar fullback Wade McKinnon.
New Zealand Warriors: Wade McKinnon, Michael Crockett, Jerome Ropati, Simon Mannering, Manu Vatuvei, Michael Witt, Grant Rovelli, Sam Rapira, George Gatis, Steve Price (captain), Ruben Wiki, Logan Swann, Micheal Luck.
Interchange: Wairangi Koopu, Evarn Tuimavave, Epalahame Lauaki, Nathan Fien.
- NZPA
