A Warriors side still seething from spurning a golden opportunity to tame the Tigers will have the chance to make amends against the Storm on Sunday at Mt Smart Stadium after coach Brian McClennan opted to leave his match day 17 intact.
First-choice fullback Kevin Locke had appeared the most likely to force his way back into the side, however having spent just seven minutes on the field since suffering a nasty haematoma against the Titans in round four, Locke will instead make his comeback via the Auckland Vulcans in the NSW Cup.
With the sternum injury he suffered in a brief outing against the Storm in round eight still bothering him, Locke is by no means certain to play for the feeder club against Newcastle on Saturday.
McClennan has made it clear Locke's return is dependent on him getting through 80 minutes of football. Until that happens the fullback jumper will be filled by speedster Glen Fisiiahi, who turned in his most impressive first grade performance of the season in the morale-sapping defeat by the Tigers.
Veteran forward Micheal Luck could still be five weeks away from taking the field, with the workhorse lock pencilled in for the round 17 match against the Cowboys. He is to undergo a scan on June 13 to determine if his broken hand has healed sufficiently. If he is cleared to resume contact work he could theoretically face Cronulla three days later. However, with a bye scheduled the following the week the club will most likely adopt a cautious approach and give Luck an extended lead-in to his first match since last year's grand final.
