Injured captain Mannering to miss first battle

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FIT AND READY: Brent Tate at the Warriors v Sea Eagles pre-season game at North Harbour Stadium last month.

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New skipper Simon Mannering's wait to lead the New Zealand Warriors continues after he was ruled out of the club's National Rugby League (NRL) season opener against the Gold Coast Titans at Robina on Sunday.

Mannering, 23, took over the captaincy in the off-season from prop Steve Price but missed all three of the Warriors' trial matches because of a hamstring injury.

Coach Ivan Cleary said yesterday the decision was made not to risk the second rower while he was making his recovery.

"Simon's close to being right but there's no point in playing him at this stage of the season until we're all satisfied he's ready to go," he said.

"Hopefully he'll be able to play next week but we won't rush things."

With Mannering out, lock Micheal Luck, in his 99th match for the Warriors, will deputise as skipper.

Mannering's absence means 20-year-old Sione Lousi, a former Junior Warrior who played in all three trials against the Sydney Roosters, North Queensland and Manly, is in line to make his NRL debut from the bench.

"He did a terrific job in every match and he has also worked really hard throughout the off-season," Cleary said.

Three other players will make their first appearances for the Warriors – the halfback and five-eighth pairing of Brett Seymour and James Maloney, and prop Jeremy Latimore, who is among the reserves.

Cleary said there was a lot of competition for the No6 jersey, but Maloney, formerly with Melbourne, had shown in the pre-season matches that he deserved the first shot at the job.

At fullback, Lance Hohaia has been chosen to start ahead of regular custodian Wade McKinnon, who is on the interchange bench.

Centre Brent Tate will play his first NRL match since suffering a serious ankle injury against Brisbane in round three last year.

The other centre is Jerome Ropati, while Joel Moon, an option for both the five-eighth and centre spots, is named on the bench.

Apart from Mannering, Price and fellow forward Jacob Lillyman were ruled out with heel and foot problems respectively.

Meanwhile Clinton Toopi's NRL return has been placed on hold after 19-year-old Wellingtonian Joseph Tomane was preferred for the Titans.

Toopi was denied a chance to face his old team at Skilled Park after Tomane, an off-season acquisition from the Melbourne Storm, was chosen to combine in the centres with Kangaroos and Wallabies double international Mat Rogers. Toopi, 29, signed a one-year contract with the Titans last week after an injury-ravaged code switch to rugby.

Tomane is one of three new faces included in the starting 13 alongside former Cronulla utility Greg Bird, who returns to the NRL after an English Super League stint in France, and former Newcastle and Sydney Roosters utility Riley Brown, making his Titans' debut off the interchange bench.

Titans coach John Cartwright has named a seven-man interchange bench, with four to drop off before the 4pm (NZ time) kickoff.

TEAMS

New Zealand Warriors: Lance Hohaia, Kevin Locke, Brent Tate, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, James Maloney, Brett Seymour, Sam Rapira, Aaron Heremaia, Russell Packer, Lewis Brown, Ben Matulino, Micheal Luck (c). Interchange (from): Wade McKinnon, Jeremy Latimore, Jesse Royal, Sione Lousi, Joel Moon.

Gold Coast Titans: Preston Campbell, Kevin Gordon, Mat Rogers, Joseph Tomane, David Mead, Greg Bird, Scott Prince (c), Luke Bailey, Nathan Friend, Brad Meyers, Anthony Laffranchi, Mark Minichiello, Ashley Harrison. Interchange: Matthew White, Sam Tagataese, Will Matthews, Riley Brown, Michael Henderson, William Zillman, Bodene Thompson (four to be omitted).

- © Fairfax NZ News