NRL: Locke's turn to shine for Warriors

Kevin Locke will be the 10th Warrior to debut in first grade this year. Photo / Getty Images

Top Warriors' prospect Kevin Locke gets his chance this weekend against the Wests Tigers as the team is re-shuffled after two disastrous losses.

Locke, 20, joins halfback/hooker Aaron Heremaia who replaces Ian Henderson as the coaching staff seek greater speed and accuracy in delivery out of dummy-half.

That will take the number of players to make their first appearance for the club this season to 10.

Of those, just the four off-season buys - Denan Kemp who makes way for Locke on the right wing, Joel Moon, Jacob Lillyman and Jesse Royal - had NRL experience prior to this season. The rest are new to the premiership - Leeson Ah Mau and Daniel O'Regan who have also graduated from the under-20s and Ukuma Ta'ai and Lewis Brown who came through the Auckland and Christchurch club championships.

Coach Ivan Cleary said Locke and Heremaia had worked hard for their chance. "We place great importance on competition throughout the squad. If we have players who aren't quite reaching the standards we want, the chance is there for someone else to come in."

Locke has brilliant ball skills and athleticism, is safe under the high ball, a great kick-returner and superb support player and finisher. He was the under-20s player of the year in 2008 and despite a knee injury that kept him out for several weeks, it has been worth the price of admission and the early arrival to watch him play. Heremaia brings good acceleration and a good pass as well as a smart all-round kicking game and gets his chance after leading the Auckland Vulcans at halfback, from where he has shown a keenness to take on the line.

The club has shown its faith in the pair already this season, with both Locke and Heremaia, who returned to hometown Auckland after five years in Sydney then England, recently re-signed.

Heremaia has travelled to Australia twice as 18th man so should be familiar with the routine of travel there.

The coaches will have long predicted the loss of captain Steve Price, the biggest ground-gainer last weekend during the 38-12 hiding in Canberra, who was yesterday called up to the Queensland State of Origin camp. His absence cannot be an excuse when the side runs on to Mt Smart on Sunday afternoon for either a tardy start as has happened in recent weeks or a late collapse which occurred last week and a fortnight ago against the Cowboys.

And the Tigers have a similar handicap with their hooker, pack leader and playmaker Robbie Farah called up to make his debut for New South Wales.

Cleary has elevated Jesse Royal from the bench to start in Price's place after he was one of the few forwards denting the line and creating chances against the Raiders. Utility Lewis Brown, who has played two NRL matches so far against St George Illawarra and North Queensland, is on the interchange.

That means the only players to appear in all 10 games so far this year are left centre Jerome Ropati, the backrowers Jacob Lillyman and Simon Mannering, Moon and Rapira.

The Kiwis connection between Wayne Bennett and Nathan Fien was influential in the 29-year-old's decision to go to St George Illawarra for the next three seasons and in the Dragons' decision to sign him.

"I've coached him at the two highest levels in the game, he is a guy with a great attitude and is as competitive as anyone you will meet," Bennett said.

"He can obviously play a number of positions which is vital in the salary-cap era and 25-man squads that we have today."

* Warriors v Tigers
Mt Smart Stadium, 4pm Sunday

Warriors:

Wade McKinnon
Kevin Locke
Patrick Ah Van
Jerome Ropati
Manu Vatuvei
Joel Moon
Stacey Jones
Sam Rapira
Aaron Heremaia
Jesse Royal
Simon Mannering
Jacob Lillyman
Micheal Luck (c)

Interchange: Lance Hohaia, Russell Packer, Lewis Brown, Ben Matulino

Tigers:

Tim Moltzen
Taniela Tuiaki
Peni Tagive
Dene Halatau
Beau Ryan
Blake Ayshford
Benji Marshall
Bryce Gibbs
John Morris
Todd Payten
Gareth Ellis
Chris Heighington
Corey Payne

Interchange: Daine Laurie, Danny Galea, Rocky Trimarchi, Rhys Hanbury, John Skandalis