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Simon Mannering - Source: Photosport -
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Simon Mannering's hamstring injury will keep him out of the Warriors' NRL season-opening clash against Gold Coast at Skilled Park in Robina on Sunday.
The 23-year-old was due to make his debut as captain but it was decided not to risk him as he continues 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," said Warriors coach Ivan Cleary.
"Hopefully he'll be able to play next week but we won't rush things."
With Mannering out, Micheal Luck will lead the side, as he did standing in for Steve Price last year and in the club's last two trials this season. Luck will be playing his 99th match for the Warriors on Sunday, leaving him in line to join the 100 club in the first home game of the season against Cronulla on March 20.
Cleary on Tuesday also confirmed James Maloney, who made four appearances for the Melbourne Storm last year, would have the first opportunity to partner Brett Seymour in the halves.
"There's a lot of competition for that spot, which is a good thing for us, and Jimmy showed in the trials that he deserves a shot at the job this time," he said.
Lance Hohaia is named to start at fullback, the job he filled in the two trials he played against North Queensland and Manly, with Wade McKinnon on the interchange.
Also ruled out for this match were Steve Price (heel) and Jacob Lillyman (foot).
Mannering's absence has created an opportunity for back rower Sione Lousi (20) to become the latest Junior Warriors NYC graduate to make his NRL debut. Lousi, a 2008-09 Junior Warrior, is set to become Warrior No 159 after being named on the interchange bench.
He featured in all of the Warriors' three trials against the Sydney Roosters, North Queensland and Manly.
"He did a terrific job in every match and he has also worked really hard throughout the off-season," said Cleary.
While Lousi will make both his NRL and club debut, new recruits Maloney, Seymour and Jeremy Latimore will make their first NRL appearances for the Warriors (Maloney will become No 156, Seymour No 157 and Latimore No 158).
Meanwhile, new recruits Greg Bird, Joseph Tomane and Riley Brown
are set to make their club debuts for the Titans.
Coach John Cartwright named Bird at five-eighth in a new-look
halves combination with captain Scott Prince while former Melbourne
Storm flyer Tomane, 19, has beaten ex-Kiwi international Clinton
Toopi for the vacant centres spot.
Former Sydney Roosters utility player Riley Brown has forced his
way on to the interchange bench.
Titans: Preston Campbell, Kevin Gordon, Mat
Rogers, Joseph Tomane, David Mead, Greg Bird, Scott Prince, 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 (three
to be omitted).
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: Wade Mckinnon, Jeremy Latimore, Jesse Royal, Sione
Lousi, Joel Moon.
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