Things are positive for the Warriors in the medical tent as well as on the field, allowing coach Matthew Elliott to name an unchanged team to face the Cronulla Sharks.
A Warriors side who have grabbed 18 out of a possible 20 NRL points over the past 2-1/2 months will wheel out the same starting players in Auckland on Saturday who impressed in beating the defending champion Melbourne Storm 30-22 last weekend. The interchange is the same as well.
That result at Mt Smart Stadium saw the Warriors notch a seventh win in eight games since round 10. They have picked up four points from two byes during the same period to improve to ninth place.
"While we had a setback a week ago losing (wing) Glen Fisiiahi for the season, to come out of the Melbourne match with not only two points but also no injuries is a really big positive at this stage of the campaign," Elliott said.
"We've also got two of our injured players in Russell (Packer) and Charlie (Gubb) set to come back from injury and Sam (Lousi) shouldn't be too far away either."
The Warriors sit ninth on the same points total (22) as eighth-placed Newcastle. The Sharks are just two points ahead in sixth, one of three teams on 24.
The Sydney club have won their last three games against the Warriors - the last two by heavy margins.
They were 28-4 winners in round three this year and blitzed the hosts 45-4 in Auckland, nearly a year ago to the day from this crucial fixture.
Cronulla rebounded from 0-40 loss to the Sydney Roosters by thumping top eight hopefuls the Penrith Panthers 38-10 last weekend.
Warriors: Kevin Locke, Ngani Laumape, Dane Nielsen, Konrad Hurrell, Manu Vatuvei, Thomas Leuluai, Shaun Johnson, Sam Rapira, Nathan Friend, Ben Matulino, Feleti Mateo, Simon Mannering (capt), Elijah Taylor. Interchange: Suaia Matagi, Jacob Lillyman, Todd Lowrie, Dominique Peyroux
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