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Issac Luke faces Warriors NRL fitness race

Hooker Issac Luke admits he'd been wrong to try to deal with his dislocated shoulder himself but hopes it won't stop him playing this weekend for the Warriors.

NRL player Issac Luke of the Warriors in action.
A dislocated shoulder has the Warriors' Issac Luke in some doubt for the Sydney Roosters NRL clash. (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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Different body part, same race against time for Issac Luke, who is in doubt for the Warriors' NRL clash with the Sydney Roosters.

After defying his knee injury prognosis and starting in last weekend's 26-4 win over the Wests Tigers, Luke must overcome the effects of a dislocated shoulder if he is to face the Roosters on Saturday in Auckland.

The captain's run on Friday will again determine his fate, but the veteran Kiwi hooker reckons the signs are good.

"I've ticked every box so far but, at the end of the day, it's the coach's call. I guess whoever plays in the jumper will do a good job," he said.

Luke has been inspirational for the second-placed Warriors, playing his best football since leaving South Sydney.

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His desperation to keep playing emerged when he tried to put the shoulder back in himself when it was dislocated midway through Saturday's second half.

It was a natural reaction given how many times he had suffered the injury.

"I might have done more damage - I hope not," he said.

"I just didn't want to go off. We're doing great things at the club and I just want to be part of it."

Luke, 30, said off-season surgery would need to be considered if the dislocations kept coming.

Coach Stephen Kearney said halfback Shaun Johnson would probably be sidelined for two weeks after "rolling" his ankle.

There were initial fears the injury could be worse but the star playmaker had pulled up well and might even be fit to play next week against Parramatta, Kearney said.

Mason Lino has proven himself already this season, covering in the halves, most notably in the 30-6 round-four upset of the Roosters in Sydney.

"He's been fantastic. He's always done a great job for us," Kearney said.

"I just want Mason to do his job. He knows that and he does it pretty well most of the time."


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