NRL: Beast to blow out cobwebs against Eels

Manu Vatuvei walks from the field after being injured during the Four Nations last year. Photo / Getty Images

The Warriors are set to release The Beast for the first time this season, with giant wing Manu Vatuvei to play his first match since breaking his arm in the Four Nations, against the Eels in Rotorua on Saturday.

Vatuvei suffered a displaced fracture in the opening minutes of the Kiwis' tournament opener against England in Wellington and was still sporting an above-the-elbow cast when the team clinched the title in Brisbane.

The hulking winger has now been cleared to return to action and will make his season bow against Stephen Kearney's Eels in the Warriors' second trial match at Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday.

The match should also see brothers Sam and Steve Rapira play together for the Warriors for the first time.

The pair played together for the Junior Kiwis in 2005 and also teamed up on numerous occasions for Waicoa Bay in the Bartercard Cup.

But they've never played together for the Warriors despite both being on the club's books before Steve departed to join the North Queensland Cowboys.

Coach Ivan Cleary expected the brothers would have time on the field together at some stage on Saturday.

"They're really looking forward to it," Cleary said.

The younger Rapira, Steve, 22, played his first match for the NRL side in last Saturday's drawn encounter with the Knights in Greymouth.

Three sets of brothers have played together for the Warriors - Tea and Iva Ropati, Vinnie and Louis Anderson and Jerry and Anthony Seuseu.

Senior prop Sam, now entering his sixth NRL season, is one of several established players named to make their first appearances of the year.

Centre Jerome Ropati, standoff James Maloney, hooker Aaron Heremaia and front rowers Ben Matulino and Russell Packer should also see game time.

"While last week's game was very much about the occasion, there were aspects of the performance which weren't so pleasing," Cleary said.

With the exception of Feleti Mateo and Joel Moon (on All Stars duty in Australia), the Warriors will take a full squad to Rotorua.

The trial is a first outing for new Eels coach Kearney. His side will be without captain Nathan Hindmarsh, who's with the NRL All Stars for their clash against the Indigenous All Stars in Robina on Saturday night.

TRIAL SQUAD

Lewis Brown, Glen Fisiiahi, Pita Godinet, Ben Henry, Aaron Heremaia, Krisnan Inu, Jeremy Latimore, Jacob Lillyman, Kevin Locke, Sione Lousi, Micheal Luck (c), James Maloney, Alehana Mara, Ben Matulino, Russell Packer, Sam Rapira, Steve Rapira, Matt Robinson, Jerome Ropati, Ukuma Ta'ai, Elijah Taylor, Manu Vatuvei.