Scott Drinkwater has put his hand up as a permanent replacement for the retired Billy Slater despite the Melbourne Storm falling to an unheralded Warriors outfit in their NRL pre-season trial in Geelong.
The Warriors scored two tries to one in the 12-6 victory on Friday night, with errors aplenty as both sides had their first run of the year at the Cats' famed AFL ground.
Storm assistant coach Jason Ryles, who oversaw the trial, says the team was disappointed with the same poor ball control that plagued their 2018 season.
"We made simple, fundamental errors under pressure so we need to work on that really hard between now and round one," Ryles said.
"We completed 18 sets from 36 and they went 33 from 40 so to hold them to 12 points was a credit to how hard we worked but the errors have just got to stop."
Drinkwater, 21, was given first crack at Slater's vacant fullback jersey with his main rival Jahrome Hughes rested after playing in last week's All-Stars match.
He made the most of his opportunity, making a number of breaks and also showed his courage to bounce straight back into play after a massive hit by his opposite Patrick Herbert.
"I think he did a good job tonight," Ryles said.
"Obviously he was limited with his opportunities with our poor completion but in saying that he had a few really good touches and he created a few opportunities out of nothing."
A Drinkwater surge led to the Storm's only try in the final quarter, scored by Cheyse Blair despite a dubious final pass that appeared to be forward.
The Warriors hit back just a few minutes later with a try to Hayze Perham to break the 6-6 deadlock.
The visitors first half try was scored by winger Neria Fomai after they caught the Storm defence short out wide.
Former Dragon Sam Cook put his hand up should hooker Issac Luke depart the Warriors with a busy game despite spending time in the sinbin for a professional foul after he thwarted a likely try by Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Both teams had plenty of stars missing, with skipper Cameron Smith sitting on the sidelines as well as Indigenous and New Zealand Maori All-Stars players.
Billy Walters, the son of Queensland legend Kevin Walters, started strongly at five-eighth while Cooper Johns, the son of former Knights playmaker Matthew Johns also had a run for the Storm.
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