NRL: Injuries shrink chance of grand farewell for Jones

Stacey Jones and the Warriors will wrap up their miserable 2009 campaign against the Storm on Saturday night. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The chances of Stacey Jones' final farewell coinciding with a Warriors' victory against the Storm at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday night have gone from slim to downright anorexic.

Blockbusting wing Manu Vatuvei and Kiwis centre Jerome Ropati have joined an already extensive injury list that includes captain Steve Price and second rower Simon Mannering.

The result is a Warriors side significantly down on size and experience.

"We're certainly down on troops heading into the last game of the season," coach Ivan Cleary admitted.

Hardly an ideal scenario against a Storm side that needs to win to preserve its fourth place on the ladder heading into the finals.

Vatuvei injured his knee scoring his second try in the 40-20 loss to the Bulldogs on Sunday. With 13 tries in 19 matches he has been a rare consistent threat in a Warriors team that has struggled to find the try-line. The next most prolific player has been five-eighth Joel Moon, who scored four of his seven tries in one match against the Panthers.

Vatuvei has been replaced by Aidan Kirk, with Patrick Ah Van switching from right wing to left centre to partner the Australian who has spent much of the year labouring for the Vulcans in the New South Wales Premier League.

After a week out with a hamstring strain, Kevin Locke returns to the right wing where he will partner Lance Hohaia in what is a particularly lightweight combination. Traditionally big across the park, the Warriors shouldn't pose much of a physical threat out wide on Saturday. Locke tips the scales at just 79kg, while Hohaia (86kg), Kirk (90kg) and Ah Van (93kg) are all on the smaller side for NRL outside backs.

The Warriors' line-up at least boasts some solidity up front, with Cleary naming an unchanged forward pack.

Prop Sam Rapira was the standout player against the Bulldogs, while Ukuma Ta'ai and Lewis Brown, who both played 80 minutes for the first time, are again teamed in the second row.

Meanwhile, the club has announced former players Monty Betham and Awen Guttenbeil, former Kiwis captain Hugh McGahan and softballer Dean Rice are to conduct a review of the football department.

The panel would appear to contain some curious selections for what is billed as an independent review. Guttenbeil and Betham, who boast a combined 271 first-grade games at the club, both played under Cleary. The last of Guttenbeil's 10 seasons coincided with Cleary's first as head coach, while Betham's last year, 2005, saw Cleary serve as an assistant to Tony Kemp.

"It's our belief that their external views of our operations could provide some valuable assistance to help us improve next year," chief executive Wayne Scurrah said.

Cleary said he hoped the review would provide benefits for the club's 2010 campaign.

"For a variety of reasons our efforts this year have been disappointing, especially after making the finals in the previous two seasons," he said.

"We know we need to improve if we're to achieve what we expect of ourselves next year and we're determined to do all we can."

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Centre Siuatonga Likiliki has been named in the Toyota Cup team of the year. The 19-year-old, who made his first grade debut recently against the Eels, was the only Warrior selected.

Warriors
Wade McKinnon, Kevin Locke, Lance Hohaia, Patrick Ah Van, Aidan Kirk, Joel Moon, Stacey Jones, Sam Rapira, Aaron Heremaia, Evarn Tuimavave, Lewis Brown, Ukuma Ta'ai, Micheal Luck (capt).

Interchange: Ian Henderson, Russell Packer, Jacob Lillyman, Ben Matulino

Storm
Billy Slater, Steve Turner, Will Chambers, Greg Inglis, Dane Nielsen, Brett Finch, Cooper Cronk, Brett White, Cam Smith (capt), Aiden Tolman, Adam Blair, Ryan Hoffman, Dallas Johnson.

Interchange: Ryan Hinchcliffe, Hep Cahill, Ryan Tandy, Wairangi Koopu.