By Sam Ackerman
The Warriors injury toll after the first pre season games stands at three props.
Adding to that toll is Micheal Luck whose latest wrist surgery today will require three months recovery time.
The team are hoping to get through this weekend’s final trial without any more injuries before the competition kicks off in a fortnight.
The Rapira brothers will start the Warriors NRL campaign in the front row of the grandstand instead of the scrum.
Warriors captain Simon Mannering knows pre-season trials are a necessity but says it's still hard to take.
“We've had a number of injuries now to key guys that are going to miss a fair chunk of the season and, what for, really when you look back on it,” Mannering says.
More than half a dozen stars are on ice for Saturday's trial against the Sunshine Coast in Whangarei.
Coach Brian McClennan considered doing the same with his remaining props.
“You've just got to crack on - it is part of the game, we need to get some minutes into our props, so we're playing Benny Matulino and Rusty Packer and Sione Lousi,” McClennan says.
Centre Jerome Ropati certainly subscribes to that - making his first Warriors appearance since a knee reconstruction in March.
“I think trials is the best thing for me, I just don't want to be a liability going into game one knowing I haven’t had the time under my belt,” says Ropati.
Realistically only a couple of positions in his team to open against Manly are up for grabs - but McClennan sees Saturday as about much more than round one.
“It's a long journey and part of this trial process is to see can a young player handle the step up,” he says.
So far he says the answer is yes, now everyone needs to stay fit, despite centre Konrad Hurrell arriving on crutches, it's still hoped he'll play this weekend.
3 News