NRL: Propping concerns for Cleary

Manu Vatuvei failed to train at all on Thursday. Photo / Getty Images

There's the sniff of a surprise or two in the air ahead of the Warriors' match against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Mt Smart tomorrow.

Coach Ivan Cleary was impressively unforthcoming when quizzed on his thoughts this week, wavering between vague and flat out refusing to answer questions about the selectorial dilemmas mounting up on his plate.

With Manu Vatuvei failing to train at all and Lewis Brown, Lance Hohaia and Alenana Mara all sitting out of contact work, Thursday's training session provided more questions than answers. Vatuvei's absence could be explained by the need to rest his notoriously dicky knees.

Then again, the team didn't train at all yesterday and the big winger has played just three matches this season, so workload shouldn't be an issue.

A club official said Vatuvei was "probably just doing something in the gym" while Bill Tupou ran in his absence.

Cleary did say he expected Brown to take his place in the centres despite his early departure against the Knights with a knee injury. Brown's knee didn't seem to trouble him as he coasted through fitness and agility drills on Thursday, although Joel Moon and Shaun Berrigan are both on a seven-man bench as cover.

A front row that sees Russell Packer and Ben Matulino start in place of the absent Sam Rapira (thumb) and Jacob Lillyman (Origin) was one area Cleary was happy to discuss.

"It is a big hole," Cleary admitted. "Jake has been one of our best players. He's been performing strongly every week, and without Sam around it is a big challenge for us. It is a good test for both Ben and Russell to step up and start, which they've both done in the past and done well. Certainly Ben is in good form. I thought his game in the Anzac Test was the best game I've seen him play, and he's backed up with two good performances [for us] as well so the timing is good for him."

Matulino has expressed a preference for coming off the bench, however Cleary believes a player with 68 NRL games and eight tests under his belt despite being just 22 is more than ready to start matches.

"I made the point that he came on after one minute in the test match," Cleary said. "That wasn't really coming off the bench and he was great. Last year he played some of his best football later in the year starting, and that was with Russell too. I don't think it is that big a difference and I think he is ready for it."

Jeremy Latimore is the lone specialist front rower on the bench, with bullocking back rower Ukuma Ta'ai the leading candidate to slot into the propping rotation.

While the front row resources may be stretched, the opposite is the case at hooker and fullback.

Kevin Locke's match-winning form has provided some serious food for thought but it is unlikely he has fully established himself as the first-choice fullback. Rising star Glen Fisiiahi is back in action for the Vulcans this weekend after recovering from the knee injury he suffered against the Roosters in round five.

Fisiiahi has shown enough in his brief career to suggest he is too good to leave out for long, but with Vatuvei back and Krisnan Inu in excellent form, Cleary may struggle to find a spot for him. Shifting Inu to the centres is an option Cleary hasn't ruled out.

Aaron Heremaia's return makes hooker the other major point of congestion and contention. Hohaia is the obvious bench back-up, however that would squeeze the impressive Mara out of the picture.

"It's a good problem," Cleary said. "My wish is that they are all playing at their best and whoever we pick is in form. At this stage things are going okay."

Souths have long been the Warriors' bunnies, with the New Zealand club winning 15 of the 22 matches between the clubs. Four of Souths' wins, however, have come in the last five meetings, including two of the last three at Mt Smart. The Warriors' sole win over that run was a two-point nail-biter last season.

The Rabbitohs are without injured superstar Greg Inglis and a bunch of pack stalwarts that include Roy Asotasi, Michael Crocker and Luke Stuart, however their threat-filled backline is largely intact.

"All of their key players seem to be in form and they have a lot of potency in attack," Cleary said. "We have had our issues with them in the past so we know how tough it is going to be."

Warriors v Rabbitohs
* Mt Smart
* Tomorrow, 4pm
* Sky Sport 2