NRL: Mannering confident of returning this week

Warriors captain Simon Mannering was a late withdrawal for last week’s win over the Cowboys. Photo / Kenny Rodger

After one stalled attempt, New Zealand Warrior skipper Simon Mannering is confident he'll be back in action in the National Rugby League this weekend.

Mannering has had just 1-1/4 games of first-grade football this year because of a hamstring issue.

He was originally named in the side that went on to beat North Queensland 24-12 in Auckland on Saturday night.

But he pulled out late last week because he didn't believe he had recovered sufficiently.

Coach Ivan Cleary rates Mannering as a virtual certainty to lead the Warriors out against visitors South Sydney this Sunday and the second rower agrees he's on target to start.

"I'm as close as I can be to 100 per cent," he said.

"I trained most of last week, but I just wasn't quite there. I think it was the best to miss that one and come in ready for the next game."

Mannering, 23, has now sat out for seven weeks, a stretch that included the Kiwis' Anzac test in Melbourne 10 days ago.

He first suffered the hamstring injury in January and it forced him out of contention for the Warriors' three pre-season trials, as well as the opening round defeat to Gold Coast.

He made his debut as the club's new skipper the following week, leading the Warriors to victory over Cronulla.

However, in the next round and the win over Brisbane, he lasted only until midway through the first half, pounding the ground after the injury flared up again as he was scoring a try.

"This is the first hammy I've ever done and it's the last one I want to do," he said.

"It's very, very frustrating."

Mannering's lengthy time on the sidelines contrasts with his notable previous durability.

Up last August, when he succumbed to a knee problem, he played 92 NRL games in a row.

Apart from having Mannering back, the Warriors will head into their clash with the Rabbitohs boosted by having broken a three-match losing streak.

Beating the Cowboys also gave them their first success at Mt Smart Stadium in four attempts and they did it on the back of some solid defence.

"It was very big," Mannering said of the result.

"We defended the way we wanted to defend and good things came off the back of that.

"There are things to work on, but it's just good to get a win after having a few tough weeks, and especially to get it here at home."

The victory was also Cleary's 51st since he took over at the club, taking him level with Daniel Anderson for most wins by a coach of the Warriors.

Cleary is the club's longest serving coach with 110 games under his belt since the start of 2006.

Anderson, now with Parramatta, coached the Warriors for 92 games between 2001 and 2004.

- NZPA