NRL: Injury finishes Price's season

Warriors prop Steve Price has made only 14 appearances for the club this season. Photo / Getty Images

Steve Price's injury-ravaged season is over.

A detached retina suffered in Sunday's victory over the Raiders is the latest in a catalogue of ailments that has severely curtailed the 34-year-old prop's playing time this season. The injury requires surgery and, with Price suffering from Achilles and finger complaints that also require treatment, he is certain to be shut down until next year, ruling him out of Kangaroos consideration for the end-of-season Four Nations tournament in Europe.

His comeback from a rib cartilage injury suffered against the Dragons in round 20 lasted just one match. Price has also been sidelined by a throat injury and concussion after being knocked out in State of Origin III, limiting his appearances for the Warriors to 14 this season.

He is replaced by Russell Packer in the side to play the Bulldogs in Sydney on Sunday. Packer has been named on the bench, with Evarn Tuimavave promoted to the starting line-up.

Price is joined on the sidelines by durable second rower Simon Mannering, whose streak of 92 consecutive matches has been halted by a knee injury. Still just 22, Mannering has chalked up 99 appearances for the club, but he will have to wait at least another week to reach the 100 milestone.

"Simon's injury doesn't seem too bad and we're hopeful he'll be right against the Storm [in round 26]," coach Ivan Cleary said.

Cleary, who notches 100 games as the team's coach on Sunday, has promoted Lewis Brown into the run-on side as Mannering's second row replacement, with Ben Matulino added to the bench after a two-match stint in the NYC.

Sunday's match looms as a tough assignment for the Warriors. The Bulldogs have won 10 of 11 at home at ANZ Stadium this season and, with competition leaders the Dragons enduring a sudden dip in form to suffer consecutive defeats, they will want to keep the pressure on in the battle to secure the minor premiership.

With the Dogs finishing on the road at Wests Tigers next week, the game serves as retiring Hazem El Masri's last regular season home match.

* Bulldogs v Warriors
ANZ Stadium, 5pm, Sunday

BULLDOGS

Luke Patten
Hazem El Masri
Josh Morris
Jamal Idris
Bryson Goodwin
Ben Roberts
Brett Kimmorley
Ben Hannant
Michael Ennis
Michael Hodgson
Greg Eastwood
Andrew Ryan (c)
David Stagg

WARRIORS

Wade McKinnon
Kevin Locke
Lance Hohaia
Jerome Ropati
Manu Vatuvei
Joel Moon
Stacey Jones
Sam Rapira
Aaron Heremaia
Evarn Tuimavave
Lewis Brown
Ukuma Ta'ai
Micheal Luck (c)

Interchange

Bulldogs: Jarrad Hickey, Chris Armit, Yileen Gordon, Gary Warburton.

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