A raft of top-line Warriors will not play against the Storm tonight as all are still recovering from injuries.
Captain Steve Price, his brother-in-law Brent Tate and fellow centre Jerome Ropati, half/hooker Nathan Fien and centre/secondrower Simon Mannering will all miss the pre-season match in Hamilton.
Stacey Joneswill share the halfback role with Auckland-bred Liam Foran, who spent a year in the Storm's development programme. Broncos imports Denan Kemp, who scored 19 tries in 24 games in 2008, and Joel Moon will also feature in the backline.
With Wade McKinnon back after a stunted season in 2008 plus Manu Vatuvei, the Warriors have significant advantage in backline experience.
There are two points of focus for fans - the comeback of Jones and the introduction of the two-referee system.
The NRL has sent over experienced referee Jason Robinson and rookie Phil Haines and the pair have held video and instruction sessions with the Storm and the Warriors in the last two days. They were also to attend the last training sessions last night to show the players how the new system - where one referee rules on the tackle and play-the-ball and the second polices the 10 metre gap - will work.
The Storm players have been surprised at the humidity but otherwise settled in well and were aiming to turn out a top performance, said trainer Dave Donaghy.
He expected coach Craig Bellamy to tinker with the front row during the game but otherwise to stick to the backline he starts with, one with very little NRL experience bar halfback Cooper Cronk.
The club has offered teenager Arana Taumata a lifeline after sacking him following an alcohol-related punch-up in Melbourne last week. At a meeting with Bellamy and assistant Stephen Kearney, Taumata was told they would put his case to the Storm board again if he completed a rehabilitation programme and stayed off the drink for a year.
The 19-year-old from Christchurch has been thrown out of the Broncos, Bulldogs and Roosters after drink-related incidents and a contract with the Knights was rescinded.
Robbie Farah, 24, has signed with Wests Tigers for four more years. Former Shark Greg Bird, who faces court charges alleging he assaulted his girlfriend, is set to play with the Bradford Bulls in Super League before the case is heard in April.
