Luck back as Warriors look to put bite on Titans

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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Warriors warhorse Micheal Luck has recovered from what he described as merely "a big cut" and will take the field for Friday's NRL qualifying final against the Titans on the Gold Coast.

But an injury cloud is hovering over star centre Jerome Ropati, who is still battling to overcome a groin injury.

Luck suffered the horrific 18cm cut to his leg – described by skipper Simon Mannering as looking like a shark bite – in the round 24 loss to the Sea Eagles.

He sat out the Warriors' wins over the Broncos and Eels and, although he wanted to return to action last week, stayed sidelined on the doctor's orders.

But yesterday he was given the all-clear for Friday's final – the club's first since 2008.

"It's healed up really well," Luck said.

"I had another tough contact session on it today and it was fine. I'll just strap it up and should have no problems."

When asked where the gash rated in terms of worst injuries in his career, the typically no-nonsense Luck, whose head has required more stitches this year than the rest of the team combined, downplayed the ailment.

"It was a big cut," he said. "I've had shoulder surgery, hand surgery and wrist surgery and all that sort of stuff. This was just a cut that took a couple of weeks to heal.

"I wanted to play last weekend but the doctor didn't want me to.

"But I'm confident I'll be fine on Friday.

"There's probably a chance it'll open up, but then again I open up every week. All it takes is for someone to nick my eyebrow."

Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said Luck's addition to the teamsheet would give the Warriors some much-needed experience heading into what shapes as a very tough match at a venue where the Titans have lost only four times this year.

Adding to the mix is the fact that, in three hitouts at Skilled Park in Robina, the Warriors have never won, while the Titans boast an impressive five wins on the trot against their New Zealand rivals.

"Lucky's obviously an integral part of our team but I think a couple of weeks off won't have hurt him," Cleary said.

"He plays the game pretty hard and it's been a long, hard year for him – as it always is."

On the injury front, the news was not so good for 11-test Kiwi Ropati, who said he was likely to require a pain-killing injection in order to take the field on Friday.

The centre returned from a four-week stint on the sideline due to a groin injury in round 25 against the Broncos but it is yet to come right.

Yesterday, he sat out the later part of the side's training run at Mt Smart Stadium. "Right now, it's just about recovery," he said. "I just get a local anesthetic to take the pain away."

Star Titans duo Preston Campbell and Luke Bailey are expected to return from injury to face the Warriors.

Campbell was named last night to make his comeback from a hamstring injury that has sidelined him for the past three weeks, while prop Bailey is expected to make his return from a broken thumb.

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).

- © Fairfax NZ News