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Lance Hohaia - Source: Photosport -
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Livewire utility Lance Hohaia has his fingers crossed he won't be hit by a long stint on the sidelines after being a casualty in the NRL's opening round.
Hohaia was on the field for just the 10 minutes on each side of halftime before limping off with a knee injury during the New Zealand Warriors' 26-18 win over Parramatta in Auckland on Saturday night.
However, the brief stint was enough time for him to score two tries and to impress with his general threat on attack.
Hohaia has had reconstructive surgery on the knee and won't know the extent of the latest damage until he gets a scan Tuesday or Wednesday.
He said he felt something go when he made a tackle and the knee locked up when he next went for a run.
"I've had a reconstruction on that knee so it gives me a bit of grief now and then," he said.
"But it's not as painful as when I had a serious injury, so hopefully it's nothing too bad and I can be out playing again soon."
Apart from returning club legend Stacey Jones, Hohaia is the longest serving of the present Warriors in terms of both years and games played.
He made his debut back in April 2002 and has racked up 121 first-grade appearances.
Jones played 238 times for the Warriors between 1995 and 2005. He wasn't available for selection against the Eels because of a calf problem.
Hohaia, 25, came into the new campaign on the back of an excellent 2008.
He was a more than capable stand-in at fullback while Wade McKinnon was out with a serious knee injury and went on to be one of the stars of the Kiwis' World Cup triumph, grabbing two tries in the final.
With McKinnon restored to full fitness, Hohaia finds himself back on the bench as dummy-half cover, a situation he has no complaints about.
"I'll play anywhere for the side, the coach knows that," he said.
"It's my role at the moment to come off the bench and I'm pretty happy with that."
Hohaia was one of three Warriors who didn't finish the match against the Eels, a situation that left the home side with just one substitute at the end.
Second rower Ben Matulino lasted only nine minutes before succumbing to an ankle problem, while lock Michael Luck was forced from the field with three minutes to go.
Luck will be assessed during the week after being lowered by a big hit by opposition forward Fuifui Moimoi, who was put on report for a high tackle.
Hohaia said those still standing did a gutsy job in holding off a second-half comeback by the Eels.
"We were down to one reserve with Ben, Lucky and myself all off and not able to go back," he said.
"The guys dug deep and we're just proud of the way they went."
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