17 May 2016

Mannering returns

5:46 pm on 17 May 2016

After missing the last two games and the Kiwis loss to Australia, the veteran Warriors forward Simon Mannering will return to the starting lineup for Saturday's National Rugby League match against Canberra in New Plymouth.

Warriors captain Simon Mannering.

Simon Mannering Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Mannering missed the matches after suffering a severe facial injury in last month's loss to Melbourne.

Also back in the starting lineup is the Hawera born hooker Isaac Luke, who will play an NRL game in front of his Taranaki home crowd for the

The Warriors leading try scorer this season, Solomone Kata, has been suspended for one game by the NRL judiciary after entering an early guilty plea for a dangerous contact charge in his side's loss to the Penrith Panthers on the weekend.

Matt Allwood will replace Kata in the centre position for the match against his former club.

Prop Ben Matulino has also been elevated to the starting line up, Matulino came off the bench for the Warriors in their loss to the Panthers after serving a one-match ban for mixing medication and energy drinks with a number of Warriors players last month.

-RNZ