Tigers v Warriors
Leichhardt Oval, 9.30pm Saturday
Krisnan Inu will make his Warriors debut and Isaac John will return from a lengthy injury absence to face Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night.
Inu, recruited from Parramatta last season, takes the place of injured winger Manu Vatuvei. John, who impressed at halfback in a five-game stretch last year, comes in at five-eighth for the suspended James Maloney.
While John has been slated to start, Feleti Mateo could also see game-time in his favoured five-eighth position.
Maloney was charged with grade one dangerous contact for his early hit on Jarryd Hayne during Saturday night's season-opening 24-18 defeat to the Eels at Eden Park. He would normally have avoided suspension with a guilty plea but the charge carried a 50 per cent loading because the often-penalised Maloney had committed a similar offence within the last 12 months.
Had he contested the charge and lost he would still have missed just one match. But, although they had nothing to lose, the clear-cut nature of the offence meant the club declined the opportunity to defend the indefensible at the judiciary.
Maloney was one of four players facing suspension after the first round. Sharks hooker Paul Aiton will miss a week if he pleads guilty to a head-butt that got him sent off in his side's defeat by Canberra. Raiders prop Brett White will miss one week if found guilty of leading with a knee, while Manly prop Jason King faces the same sanction for the same offence.
Warriors coach Ivan Cleary was disappointed to be forced into changes so early in the season but was optimistic his squad had the depth to cope.
"Over a period of time we have been striving to develop depth in our squad and once again we will test it," Cleary said.
"This week Kris and Isaac both have an opportunity and we have confidence in them getting the job done."
Inu, who turns 24 tomorrow, will be out to impress after missing last week's match against his former club.
"Manu's injury is a big disappointment for all of us and I really feel for him," Inu said.
"But I'm also excited to have the chance to make my debut for the club. I've got to make the most this chance because there's so much competition for spots in the side."
While Inu makes his first appearance for his new club after 78 games for Parramatta, Tokoroa-born John will be making his ninth appearance. A foundation member of the club's first NYC side in 2008, John had five games last year, the last of them the gritty 12-6 win against Penrith in July when a knee injury ended his season.
After featuring in four pre-season trials, John made his competitive return at five-eighth for the Vulcans in Saturday's 20-12 win over Wentworthville in the New South Wales Cup.
"It's been good to be back playing after such a long time off," he said.
Other than the two forced changes, Cleary has largely named the same squad that faced Parramatta.
TIGERS v WARRIORS
Tigers
Wade McKinnon
Lote Tuqiri
Blake Ayshford
Chris Lawrence
Matt Utai
Benji Marshall
Robert Lui
Bryce Gibbs
Robbie Farah
Keith Galloway
Simon Dwyer
Gareth Ellis
Chris Heighington
Warriors
Lance Hohaia
Glen Fisiiahi
Joel Moon
Jerome Ropati
Krisnan Inu
Isaac John
Brett Seymour
Sam Rapira
Aaron Heremaia
Russell Packer
Simon Mannering (c)
Feleti Mateo
Micheal Luck
Tigers interchange: Tim Moltzen, Aaron Woods, Andrew Fifita, Todd Payten.
Warriors interchange: Shaun Berrigan, Jacob Lillyman, Ben Matulino, Lewis Brown, Jeremy Latimore.
