NRL: Price's rep roles to be questioned

Warriors captain Steve Price has had limited involvement with the club since the State of Origin series. Photo / Getty Images

The representative commitments of New Zealand Warriors captain Steve Price will come under the microscope ahead of next year's National Rugby League season.

Veteran prop Price has had limited involvement with the struggling Warriors since the State of Origin series, in which he was knocked out by a punch in the final game for Queensland against New South Wales.

He returns from a rib injury to face Canberra in Auckland on Sunday but it will be just his sixth Warriors appearance since the three-match Origin series kicked off in June.

Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said Price's Australian and Queensland availability next year - when the warhorse front rower will be 36 - is set for discussion behind club walls.

"You always miss your key guys, Pricey is clearly one of those," Cleary said today.

"He's had a difficult year.

"You want your captain to play but for whatever reason, he's missed a few games this year whereas in the past he hasn't.

"The older you get, the more susceptible you get to injury. But Pricey is a pretty smart guy and our training staff are working really hard with him and older athletes on how to be best prepared and play as many games as possible."

Cleary said Queensland's most capped forward Price would have a key say in whether he pursues higher honours again next year.

"It's probably a balance of a decision between all of us as to what's best for Pricey and best for the club.

"It's been looked at before with other players and it's definitely something we'll probably have to discuss a bit later on but I'm not thinking about that too much at the moment."

- NZPA