KEY POINTS:
Warriors fullback Wade McKinnon's ankle is still not 100 per cent but he will play against his old team the Eels in tomorrow night's NRL finals qualifier.
There are no other injury concerns for the home side, who are looking for a hard and fast start to bring the bumper black-out crowd into the contest.
Ruben Wiki will definitely play after missing the Panthers game with a long-term rib problem.
"Ruben loves playing these games," said coach Ivan Cleary said of the finals. "He probably could have played last weekend."
McKinnon's rolled ankle was the type of injury that took time to come right but he was running freely in training.
Cleary said it was not just the young players in the team that needed to lift to the greater speed and intensity of playoffs games.
"Everybody's got to lift. The excitement of the event should help that."
The backing of the crowd would not be a factor unless the team made it one by putting on a good performance. "We have to play well."
Cleary would prefer a hard and fast track because "we haven't played in the wet for a while."
Captain Steve Price, flush with Dally M awards as best prop and captain, picked up the Warriors' player of the season title at the club's end of year dinner last night and also won the supporters' player of the year.
Clubman of the year went to Micheal Luck and Sam Rapira was the NRL under-20s player of the year.
Price was not at the Dally M awards dinner in Sydney, having remained in Auckland to prepare for tomorrow's match.
"It's a huge honour. There's so many great leaders in our game and to be recognised as the better one this year, I can't believe it," Price said via video link.
"I'm a bit of a stresser [as captain] but I stress mainly about the boys rather than myself which has helped my game tremendously. [Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes] picking me as captain a few years ago has changed my career. The extra responsibility has made me play a lot better."
The major award, the Dally M medal went to the Cowboys' Johnathan Thurston.
All four finals venues look likely to be sold out. About 17,000 of the 18,000 tickets for the Eagles-Souths match at Brookvale Oval have been snapped up. There are few tickets left for the 26,500-seat Townsville Stadium where the Cowboys meet the Bulldogs, and the Storm are confident of selling the remaining 6500 seats at 18,000-capacity Olympic Park.
Manly prop Brent Kite is out with a groin/abductor muscle strain. Chris Hicks (calf), Luke Williamson (back) and Steve Menzies (groin) are all expected to be cleared to play. Souths have brought 190cm, 115kg giant Manase Manuokafoa into their squad as cover for David Fa'alogo.
The Bulldogs have named Lee Te Maari to come on to the bench, Willie Mason is back after a wrist break and filling in for the suspended Sonny Bill Williams. Storm backline utility Matt Geyer returns to their bench after injury. Broncos centre Justin Hodges (quadriceps) remains in serious doubt for that game. David Taylor (broken thumb) has been replaced on the bench by Nick Kenny.
