Rugby League: Warriors stare at booby prize

By PETER JESSUP

The NRL's wooden spoon winner is likely to be decided this weekend as the bottom four teams compete.

There's emotion involved in both games: the Eels will play in black armbands against the Warriors to mark the passing of club founder Colonel Jack Argent, and Souths are welcoming back a handful of regulars from injury to give them favouritism over Manly in the first game at North Sydney Oval in five years.

It's a fair bet there will not be too much support for the Sea Eagles at the home ground of their divorced partners the Bears, and it's more likely that the Rabbitohs will get up for a win than the Warriors.

It's unlikely any of those three teams will win in the last two rounds. The Warriors face the two table-topping teams, the Roosters and Bulldogs, to end their season, and home ground at Ericsson Stadium will not mean anything as those sides seek momentum going into playoffs.

Souths play the Broncos at home in round 25 then the Raiders away; Manly have the Dragons away and the Storm at Brookvale Oval.

So there's every chance the Warriors will not add to the six wins and 16 competition points they have, and they will be hoping Manly backs up its win over Newcastle by defeating Souths. Otherwise, the Rabbits leapfrog them into 14th place and the Warriors' only chance of avoiding that spoon is to beat the leaders and that won't happen.

Jerome Ropati pulled out yesterday with an arm injury, so Lance Hohaia is at five-eighths. Development players Kupu Vuna and Kane Ferris were the only extras taken, signalling they are close to a start but meaning the named 17 must play.

The Eels' fullback, Wade McKinnon, and bench man Adam Dykes must pass fitness tests.

The game will be preceded by one minute's silence in honour of Colonel Argent, who lobbied for the Eels' inclusion in the-then New South Wales Rugby League A-grade competition from 1935; they were finally admitted in 1947. The club carries the moniker "The House That Jack Built" because Argent's construction company built the first major building in 1959.

Souths will continue with the game's smallest player, Roy Bell, at fullback after his good showing against the Cowboys last weekend. Bell, 20, is 65kg and 160cm. Garth Wood, Shane Rigon, Lee Hookey and Shane Walker bolster the side.

* Halfback Stacey Jones is out of the Warriors after suffering a leg injury in training in Sydney late yesterday.

Thomas Leuluai is elevated from the bench to start, with development player Kupu Vuna coming into the interchange.

* Wests Tigers have confirmed they will play four games at the Olympic Stadium next year, four at Leichhardt, four at Campbelltown and one in Christchurch.

* Warriors vs Eels, Parramatta Stadium tonight 9.30