The Warriors have been dealt another blow with an ankle injury ruling in-form wing David Fusitu'a out of Friday night's NRL clash against North Queensland in Townsville.
The 23-year-old rolled his ankle after leaping to contest a high ball during the side's captain's run today and will watch from the grandstand as his teammates take on the Cowboys at 1300Smiles Stadium.
Reserve back Gerard Beale will replace Fusitu'a on the right flank as the Warriors look to build on last week's impressive 34-14 win over Manly in Christchurch.
"He landed on another one of the boys' foot and rolled his ankle so he won't be playing tomorrow," said Warriors coach Stephen Kearney.
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Advertise with NZME."But I'm very comfortable with Gerard coming into the side."
The injury is set to ruin Fusitu'a's hopes of turning out for Tonga in the mid-season Pacific Test against Samoa in Sydney next Saturday, with Kearney saying it was "very unlikely" he'd recover in time for the match at Campbelltown Stadium.
Fusitu'a has been in top form throughout the first half of the season, with his hat-trick of tries against the Sea Eagles putting him three clear at the top of the NRL's top tryscorers list with 15 four-pointers so far this year.
Kearney hopes Fusitu'a will be back on deck for the Warriors' next home game against Cronulla on June 29, following next week's stand-alone representative weekend.
"I anticipate that but it's hard to say," he said.
Fusitu'a's absence comes just as the Warriors welcome back captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck from an ankle injury that kept him out of last week's game at AMI Stadium.
Tuivasa-Sheck came through today's session unscathed and is in line to play his first game since departing play late in the round 12 loss to South Sydney at Mt Smart Stadium.
The Kiwi international's comeback allows backline utility Peta Hiku to return to centre after switching between fullback and five-eighth in the Warriors last three matches.
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Advertise with NZME.Back-up halfback Mason Lino was the other player scratched from the Warriors extended 21-man squad named on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, reserve centre Justin O'Neill and second-rower Mitchell Dunn are the two players trimmed from the Cowboys extended bench.
Cowboys v Warriors at 1300Smiles Stadium, Friday, 8pm
UPDATED TEAM LISTS:
Cowboys: 1 Michael Morgan, 2 Kyle Feldt, 3 Enari Tuala, 4 Kane Linnett, 5 Javid Bowen, 6 Te Maire Martin, 7 Johnathan Thurston (c), 8 Matthew Scott (c), 9 Jake Granville, 10 Scott Bolton, 11 Gavin Cooper, 12 Coen Hess, 13 Jason Taumalolo
Interchange: 14 Ben Hampton, 15 Shaun Fensom, 16 Corey Jensen, 17 Sam Hoare, 19 Ethan Lowe, 21 Francis Molo
Warriors: 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 18 Gerard Beale, 3 Peta Hiku, 4 Solomone Kata, 5 Ken Maumalo, 6 Blake Green, 7 Shaun Johnson, 8 James Gavet, 9 Issac Luke, 10 Agnatius Paasi, 11 Isaiah Papali'i, 12 Tohu Harris, 13 Adam Blair
Interchange: 14 Karl Lawton, 15 Chris Satae, 16 Bunty Afoa, 17 Simon Mannering, 20 Ligi Sao, 21 Anthony Gelling
