KEY POINTS:
Winger Manu Vatuvei and standoff Michael Witt are back for the New Zealand Warriors' National Rugby League (NRL) match against competition-leading Manly in Auckland on Sunday.
Vatuvei was originally scheduled for a return last month after being sidelined since April with a spiral fracture of his left fibula.
He slots back into his regular left winger's spot after scoring seven tries in the first seven matches of the season.
Witt will make his first appearance at NRL level since damaging his hip against Canberra on May 4.
In his first eight appearances of the year, Witt scored 70 points and had a goalkicking success rate of almost 90 per cent.
The Warriors desperately need a spark after suffering four losses in their past five games to slip to third from bottom on the standings.
Vatuvei's return sees Aidan Kirk switched to the right wing to replace Michael Crockett while Nathan Fien moves to halfback with Grant Rovelli named as 18th man.
"Manu was a chance of playing a couple of weeks ago but we decided to hold off," Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said today.
" And with Michael (Witt) available again, we had to decide whether Nathan (Fien) or Grant (Rovelli) would play at halfback. Ravs has been there all season and Fieny was moved from hooker to No 6 a couple of games ago. We're giving Fieny a crack this time."
Prop Ruben Wiki will move within a one match of becoming only the 10th player in the competition's history to make 300 appearances.
With game No 299 scheduled at home against the Sea Eagles, Wiki, 35 and in his 16th and last season in the NRL, would be in line to make his landmark 300th appearance against Wests Tigers in Sydney on June 30.
Also reaching a milestone this weekend will be prop Sam Rapira, 21, will play his 50th game since his debut in 2006.
The Warriors will have the same starting pack who lost to the Cronulla Sharks last weekend while Cleary has opted for four forwards on the bench.
Props Rapira and Evarn Tuimavave are joined by recalled second rower Epalahame Lauaki, who turned out for the Auckland Vulcans last weekend, and 19-year-old back rower Ben Matulino, who impressed on debut against the Sharks.
New Zealand Warriors: Lance Hohaia, Aidan Kirk, Brent Tate, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, Michael Witt, Nathan Fien, Ruben Wiki, Ian Henderson, Steve Price (captain), Simon Mannering, Logan Swann, Micheal Luck.
Interchange: Evarn Tuimavave, Epalahame Lauaki, Sam Rapira, Ben Matulino. 18th man: Grant Rovelli.
- NZPA
