Warriors prop Ben Matulino is a doubtful starter in the Kiwis' Four Nations campaign because of a knee injury that affected the second half of his NRL season.
The 25-year-old had surgery in June - some lateral cartilage was removed from his right knee - and missed several games as a result.
He returned to play a full part in the Warriors' playoff push but took longer than normal to recover after each match, compromising his preparation for the next.
"It is wait-and-see with Ben," Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney said. "After the NRL season, he has given it a bit of a break. We are closely monitoring the situation and giving him as much opportunity to heal as possible. If it's no good at the back end of next week, then we will have to look at it closely."
Matulino's presence would be sorely missed but the Kiwis have plenty of depth in the front row and will be able to cover his absence.
