NRL: Tuimavave finally set to chalk up 100

Evarn Tuimavave is one of the longest-serving Warriors but he hasn't featured this season. Photo / Getty Images

Captain Steve Price is out with a rib injury but his loss has been offset by the return of Evarn Tuimavave to the Warriors to face Penrith on Saturday night.

Price's absence is expected to be short-term - something that couldn't be said of Tuimavave's spell on the sidelines. The 25-year-old hasn't featured this season due to neck and knee injuries.

With his contract due to expire at the end of the season and no offer of an extension yet on the table, Tuimavave could be playing for his future at the club.

One of the longest-serving Warriors - only Stacey Jones and Lance Hohaia pre-date him - Tuimavave ended last season on 99 NRL first grade appearances.

He was a member of the Kiwis' World Cup winning squad but a neck injury suffered during pre-season training rubbed out the first half of the season. A knee injury received trying to prove his fitness playing for the Auckland Vulcans in the NSW Premier League delayed his comeback.

"It's been a tough season for Evarn, being on the sideline for so long," said coach Ivan Cleary as he named Tuimavave to make his 100th appearance off the bench. "He was close to coming back a few weeks ago but then got a knee injury so it's nice to see him getting there in the end."

The 15th player to do so it has, in fact, taken Tuimavave longer than any other Warrior to chalk up the milestone

Now in his eighth first-grade season since making his debut against the Northern Eagles in 2002, he had played only 26 games by the end of 2005. But he eventually established himself as a regular first grader, even moving ahead of Ruben Wiki in the pecking order as he notched 73 games over the last three seasons.

With Price out, Russell Packer and Sam Rapira are the starting props for the tough trip to CUA Stadium. Centre Jerome Ropati replaces Patrick Ah Van after missing Sunday's loss to St George Illawarra with a shoulder injury.

Jacob Lillyman will start in the second row with Ben Matulino on the bench alongside Tuimavave, Lance Hohaia and Lewis Brown. Ukuma Ta'ai travels as 18th man.

The sixth-placed Panthers head into the match having won three of their last four, including an impressive 28-20 victory over the Cowboys in Townsville. That run also includes victories over Parramatta and Canberra, with the only blemish a 36-12 thrashing at the hands of the resurgent Rabbitohs in Sydney in round 18.

* Panthers v Warriors

CUA Stadium, 9.30pm Saturday

PANTHERS

Jarrod Sammut
Junior Tia-Kilifi
Michael Jennings
Brad Tighe
Michael Gordon
Wade Graham
Luke Walsh
Frank Puletua
Paul Aiton
Matthew Bell
Trent Waterhouse (c)
Gavin Cooper
Nathan Smith

WARRIORS

Wade McKinnon
Kevin Locke
Jerome Ropati
Joel Moon
Manu Vatuvei
Isaac John
Stacey Jones
Sam Rapira
Ian Henderson
Russell Packer
Simon Mannering
Jacob Lillyman
Micheal Luck (c)

Interchange

Panthers: Adam Woolnough, Tim Grant, Joseph Paulo, Maurice Blair, Shane Elford, Frank Pritchard.

Warriors: Lance Hohaia, Evarn Tuimavave, Lewis Brown, Ben Matulino.