Thomas Leuluai's potential to provide an impact off the bench is worth the risk of him being underdone according to Warriors NRL coach Andrew McFadden.
Leuluai is in line to make his first NRL appearance in 11 months on Saturday night after being named on a five-man bench to face Manly, McFadden resisting the urge to ease 30-year-old back from knee surgery via the NSW Cup.
McFadden confirmed Leuluai would play barring any mishaps, claiming the playmaking utility had been right to go for the past two to three weeks as the club decided on a conservative approach.
"He's been pushing me and in my room fairly often about when he can play," McFadden said on Wednesday.
"We've been conservative, but he's very excited to get back on the field."
Leuluai, who operates at hooker and in the halves, suffered the injury in a 17-13 win away to Parramatta last May.
McFadden said the risk in putting the 31-Test Kiwi straight back into the NRL was no different to him playing in a lower-level fixture.
"That's why we don't want to put too much pressure on him," he said.
"He will have a limited role at the weekend, but it's something that we know he can give us impact."
Leuluai's return is balanced by the loss of another experienced campaigner in giant winger Manu Vatuvei, who is out with a hamstring issue, with Jonathan Wright coming into the side.
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