Micheal Luck returns to Warriors for Titans clash

JOHN SELKIRK/Stuff.co.nz

RETURN: Micheal Luck will return to the starting 13 for the Warriors' match against Gold Coast Titans.

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CAPTAIN CAUGHT: Warriors captain Simon Mannering is tackled during the NRL playoff match against the Gold Coast Titans.

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Loose forward Micheal Luck will return to the starting 13 for the New Zealand Warriors' National Rugby League finals series match against Gold Coast Titans at Robina on Friday.

The 28-year-old missed the back-to-back wins against Brisbane and Parramatta after being sidelined due to an ugly cut in his left thigh suffered against Manly last month.

Coach Ivan Cleary today confirmed that Luck would be back to take on Gold Coast in the first round of the finals series.

"Everyone knows how tough Lucky is and we're certainly glad to have him back in the side," Cleary said.

"Being the sort of person he is, he wanted to play last week but it wasn't possible. His cut has healed really well, he's been putting in the work and he's ready to go against the Titans."

Luck's return results in Jacob Lillyman reverting to his interchange role as a front rower. Also named on the bench is hooker Alehana Mara, Ben Matulino and Ukuma Ta'ai along with Jesse Royal and Joel Moon.

"Jake deserves a lot of credit for the job he did filling Lucky's role against the Broncos and the Eels. He was terrific in those two games," Cleary said.

The Warriors qualified for the post-season as the fifth-ranked side after a 14 win-10 loss record in the regular season, the club's best output since 2003.

The Warriors leave for Queensland tomorrow for the first qualifying final against a Gold Coast side who have beaten them twice this season, 24-18 in the opening round at Skilled Park in March and 28-20 in Auckland on August 1.

"We hung in with them both times but were a bit off both times in some areas of our game," Cleary said.

"You can't afford to be down in any part of your game at any time let alone in the finals, especially not against a side like the Titans who make it so difficult for you.

"We've shown a lot of improvement in the second half of the season, as we needed to, but it's a whole lot different now. We're up against a side which is well served at hooker, in the halves and at fullback. They know how to control tight games and we'll have to work really hard to stay with them."

Wing Manu Vatuvei enters the match needing one try to claim the Warriors' all-time tryscoring record outright.

His 77th career try last weekend drew him level with Stacey Jones' mark and saw him equal Sean Hoppe's regular season club record of 19.

New Zealand Warriors: Lance Hohaia, Kevin Locke, Brent Tate, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, James Maloney, Brett Seymour, Sam Rapira, Aaron Heremaia, Russell Packer, Simon Mannering (captain), Lewis Brown, Micheal Luck.

Interchange: Alehana Mara, Ben Matulino, Ukuma Ta'ai, Jacob Lillyman, Jesse Royal, Joel Moon (two to be omitted).

- NZPA