NRL: Warriors look to new start to end run of defeats

Brett Seymour is one three frontline players returning from injury. Photo / Getty Images

It will be back to square one for the New Zealand Warriors and chief playmaker Brett Seymour, when they host North Queensland in the National Rugby League (NRL) on Saturday night.

The Warriors are returning from a bye eager to snap a run of three successive defeats during which they have conceded more than 100 points, while Seymour will play just his second game for the club after two months out.

"We're sort of looking at it as round one because the last couple of weeks have been pitiful," the halfback said.

"We just have to get back to doing the basics right. We've got a few young guys who just need a little guidance on what to do at the right time."

Seymour is one three frontline players returning from injury after missing the defeats to Penrith, Melbourne and Canberra, a run that has the Warriors stuck at 10th on the table.

Second rower Simon Mannering has got over hamstring issues which ruled him out of the pre-season trials and restricted him to just one and a bit games as the club's new skipper.

Strike weapon Manu Vatuvei has also recovered from a hamstring complaint.

In two full and two half games, the winger has been in deadly form, scoring six tries to take his career tally to 64 in 98 appearances.

Seymour, the Warriors' major off-season signing, has managed just one NRL appearance for his new club, the opening round loss to Gold Coast, when he broke his thumb.

"It's been a long spell and it's been tough watching the last couple of weeks," he said.

"Definitely when you're winning, it's not too bad. But we are in a position now where we leave ourselves a bit of a task to make the finals. It starts this week with the Cowboys."

Seymour said he was fully over his injury and his hand felt 100 per cent.

He could have pushed it and come back the week before the bye, but having the extra time had helped.

Having been sidelined for so long, he said match fitness would be an issue.

"You can do as much training as you want, but it's not like a match," he said.

"I'll be sucking them in. I might have to look for a scrum or two."

Mannering also said it was tough watching from the sidelines while his teammates were struggling.

"It's not the perfect start to the year," he said.

"We had a good week off and we're looking to kick start it."

The Warriors have been kept scoreless at halftime in four of their past five matches and Mannering said the issue wasn't so much in not being able to score as in conceding early and then having to play catch-up.

"That's when we start shooting ourselves in the foot," he said.

"If we start off well with our defence, we'll be in the game. We won't be thinking we need to throw it around. We can stick to what we know and then the tries will come."

- NZPA