NRL: Five Kiwis to back up for Warriors

Lewis Brown will play for the Kiwis on Friday night, then run out for the Warriors on Sunday. Photo / Getty Images

All five New Zealand Warriors players in the Kiwis' Anzac Test squad have been included in the club's line-up for Sunday's ninth-round NRL clash against the Gold Coast Titans at Skilled Park.

Fullback Lance Hohaia, centres Lewis Brown and Simon Mannering, prop Sam Rapira and interchange forward Ben Matulino are all with the Kiwis on the Gold Coast preparing for Friday night's Anzac battle against the Kangaroos also at Skilled Park.

They've been named in a side unchanged from the one used in the back-to-back wins over the Melbourne Storm and the Penrith Panthers in the last two weeks.

The Warriors travel to Gold Coast on Friday with their New Zealand players rejoining them on Saturday following the international.

The match against the Titans is the first of two back-to-back games in Australia, followed by Newcastle the following Sunday.

The Warriors will stay in Australia for the week rather than returning home.

"We'll see how our players come through the Test on Friday night before deciding our final side," said Cleary.

"We haven't had to factor this in for quite a few years. Usually we've had the bye the weekend of the Anzac Test so it's really a case of wait and see."

Cleary said the final line-up wouldn't be confirmed until an hour before kick-off on Sunday.

"Whatever happens with those players, we face a real challenge against the Titans," he said.

"They've won two of their last three games and they've been strengthened by Preston Campbell coming back into the side last week.

"They're not affected by the Test on Friday either, which is obviously a help for them.

"We didn't play so well against Penrith much of the time but we got a result. We'll need to be better in all areas against the Titans."

The Warriors go into the match sitting just outside the top eighth after winning four of their last five matches.

Warriors side:
1 Lance Hohaia
2 Kevin Locke
3 Lewis Brown
4 Simon Mannering (c)
5 Krisnan Inu
6 James Maloney
7 Brett Seymour
8 Sam Rapira
9 Aaron Heremaia
10 Jacob Lillyman
11 Feleti Mateo
12 Elijah Taylor
13 Micheal Luck

Interchange:
14 Alehana Mara
15 Russell Packer
16 Ben Matulino
17 Ukuma Ta'ai

- HERALD ONLINE