Tackle machine Micheal Luck is back to add some defensive steel to the desperate Warriors for Saturday night's NRL clash with the Cowboys in Townsville.

And bustling centre Konrad Hurrell also returns.

Luck (30) has been cleared for action after playing the full 80 minutes for the Auckland Vulcans in their New South Wales Cup encounter against Wentworthville last Saturday.

It was only Luck's third match of the year and his first since two interchange appearances for the Warriors in June and last month.

Satisfied his left shoulder survived the test well, Luck comes into the interchange while Hurrell is back after missing last Sunday's 45-4 loss to Cronulla with a niggling foot injury which had hampered him against Manly in Perth on July 28.

Their recalls have come about through the absence of standoff James Maloney and prop Ben Matulino. Both players had appeared in all 20 matches this season but have been ruled out with injuries picked up against the Sharks.

Maloney is out for one or two weeks with a medial ligament strain in his left knee and Matulino is likely to miss three to four weeks with a slight tear in the pectoral muscle on his left side. It means Matulino may miss the rest of the regular season campaign.

"Both Lucky and the medical staff are satisfied he has come through last Saturday's match in good shape and Konrad is also good to go again," said Warriors head coach Brian McClennan.

"Losing both Jimmy and Ben is a setback. They're obviously important players for us but that's what happens in this game and in this competition. Injuries are always a part of it and it's now up to others to make the most of the opportunity they've been given."

Maloney lasted only 16 minutes of the Cronulla contest before being replaced by debutant Carlos Tuimavave.

Tuimavave has been named to start in the halves on Saturday night, joining Shaun Johnson whom he teamed up with when the Junior Warriors won their first NYC grand final in 2010.

There have been shuffles elsewhere.

With Hurrell returning to the centres, Ben Henry reverts to the second row where he started in the match against Manly. Elijah Taylor moves to loose forward.

Having lost Matulino, one of the NRL's best front rowers this season, McClennan has juggled his front row options by listing Jacob Lillyman and Sione Lousi as the starting props with Russell Packer named on a five-man interchange.

Manu Vatuvei keeps the captaincy with regular skipper Simon Mannering still struggling with an ankle injury.

North Queensland coach Neil Henry has named an extended squad following concerns about the fitness of Foxton-born forward Ricky Thorby.

The prop was a late withdrawal from the Cowboys side that lost 8-6 to Manly last weekend but there is a possibility he will have recovered from a hip injury.

Hooker Anthony Mitchell, a mid-season recruit from the Sydney Roosters, has also been included on an enlarged bench - he was omitted from the team to face the reigning premiers so Ray Thompson could make his comeback from a long-term shoulder injury.

The narrow loss to Manly at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday night dropped the Cowboys from fourth to sixth but they will be confident of avenging a 35-18 defeat at Mt Smart Stadium in round 17 considering the Warriors were thrashing at the hands of Cronulla.

The Warriors are now in 13th place, two wins outside the top eight, and must win all of their remaining four games to have a hope of advancing to the finals series.

Warriors: Kevin Locke, Bill Tupou, Lewis Brown, Konrad Hurrell, Manu Vatuvei (c), Carlos Tuimavave, Shaun Johnson, Sione Lousi, Nathan Friend, Jacob Lillyman, Feleti Mateo, Ben Henry, Elijah Taylor. Interchange: Russell Packer, Sebastine Ikahihifo, Micheal Luck, Steve Rapira, Sam Lousi.

Cowboys: Matthew Bowen, Ashley Graham, Brent Tate, Kane Linnett, Antonio Winterstein, Johnathan Thurston (co-captain), Michael Morgan, Matthew Scott (co-captain), Aaron Payne, James Tamou, Gavin Cooper, Glenn Hall, Dallas Johnson. Interchange: Ray Thompson, Ricky Thorby, Ashton Sims, Scott Bolton, Anthony Mitchell, Joel Riethmuller (two to be omitted).

- © Fairfax NZ News