KEY POINTS:
Warriors boom fullback Wade McKinnon was named yesterday to play against Manly at Mt Smart on Sunday and is expected to take the field after being a late withdrawal before their last two games.
The Warriors must win to cement a playoff place and to retain any hope of a top-four spot and a home final.
Coach Ivan Cleary yesterday listed the team beaten late in Canberra, plus McKinnon, naming seven on the bench as he rewards McKinnon's fill-in Todd Byrne as well as Lance Hohaia and Louis Anderson for good performances for the Auckland Lions.
It also keeps pressure on the incumbents, the coach wanting to see how the seven compete in training this week before settling on the four interchange players.
McKinnon's ankle injury has steadily improved and the team needs his injection from fullback to add attacking spark that was missing last weekend against the Raiders.
The game will be close to a 25,000 sell-out, with fewer than 2000 tickets left yesterday for the northern embankment.
In their past two away games at Canberra and to the Sydney Roosters the Warriors have suffered from poor refereeing decisions driven by vocal home crowds, decisions that changed the games and crowd backing that helped carry their opposition home. They are hoping the position will be reversed on Sunday.
The team should get a boost as they honour the all-conquering Auckland side of 1977 which beat Australia 19-14, Great Britain 14-10 and France 26-0 in June that year while the international teams were competing at the World Cup. The Warriors will wear a commemorative jersey in Auckland blue with the classic league V. Eleven of the 1977 team, including captain Denis Williams, are expected at a reunion and at the game.
There was a suggestion from Sydney yesterday that the second-placed Sea Eagles would rest some of their stars, given that they cannot overtake Melbourne to win the minor premiership nor be overtaken themselves. That seems unlikely. After dropping to the Souths Rabbitohs on Monday night they will not want another loss that would rob them of momentum.
Their halfback Matt Orford missed last weekend's game against Newcastle with a thigh injury but seems sure to play. Prop Brent Kite was rested for the second half against Newcastle a fortnight ago and started from the bench on Monday but is sure to be up front as the visitors try to assert dominance over the Warriors.
Manly coach Des Hasler blamed poor second-half defence and poor refereeing for his team's slip from an 18-6 halftime lead to a 24-18 loss against Souths. He cited that game and Sunday's as good practice for the Eagles in handling big forwards.
* Kiwis and Wests Tigers centre Paul Whatuira will join his former club and international teammate Jamaal Lolesi at Huddersfield after signing a three-year deal with the Giants.
* Both St Helens and Les Catalans will be close to full strength for Saturday's Challenge Cup final. Saints are still without former Great Britain captain Paul Sculthorpe who continues to recover from Achilles tendon surgery and the Dragons are sweating on the availability of utility Casey McGuire who has a torn pectoral muscle.
Mt Smart Stadium, 2pm Sunday
NZ WARRIORS
1. Wade McKinnon
2. Michael Crockett
3. Jerome Ropati
4. Simon Mannering
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Michael Witt
7. Grant Rovelli
8. Sam Rapira
9. Nathan Fien
10. Steve Price (c)
11. Ruben Wiki
12. Logan Swann
13. Micheal Luck
Reserves: Louis Anderson, Todd Byrne, George Gatis, Lance Hohaia, Wairangi Koopu, Epalahame Lauaki, Evarn Tuimavave.
SEA EAGLES
1. Brett Stewart
2. M. Robertson
3. Steve Bell
4. Steve Menzies
5. Chris Hicks
6. Jamie Lyon
7. Matt Orford
8. Mark Bryant
9. M. Monaghan
10. Brent Kite
11. A. Watmough
12. Glenn Stewart
13. Luke Williamson
Reserves: Matt Ballin, Glenn Hall, Adam Cuthbertson, Jack Afamasaga, Clint Halden, Travis Burns, Jason Wells.
