KEY POINTS:
The Warriors have included the three players suspended from last weekend's game for Sunday's contest against the improving Wests Tigers but lose captain Steve Price to the Queensland State of Origin side.
Michael Witt who began his career as a halfback takes the number seven jersey from Grant Rovelli, with Jerome Ropati keeping the five-eighths position.
That move should improve the kicking game and spark the backline.
Wade McKinnon should significantly improve their attacking power from fullback while Tony Martin, who was the third player to miss the Newcastle game, offers better right-side defence as well as a 77 per cent goal-kicking record.
Patrick Ah Van who has played fullback for the two weeks of McKinnon's suspension has been shifted to the wing, replacing Todd Byrne who is relegated to the Auckland Lions along with Rovelli.
Ruben Wiki is captain and young Sam Rapira starts at prop to replace Price, who has been the stand-out forward this season, regularly gaining 170m or more which is more like a fullback's figure.
Lance Hohaia gets pushed back to a five-man bench which will be cut by one late in the week but he is the one player assured of a run-on, the other four all second-rowers. If Sonny Fai is selected the 19-year-old from South Auckland will make his NRL debut.
Byrne and Rovelli will be part of a strong Lions line-up - also including Warriors George Gatis, Wairangi Koopu and Cooper Vuna - which comes up against Balmain Ryde Tigers in the curtainraiser.
The Tigers do not lose anyone to Origin and will use 16 of the team that beat the Dragons 27-8 last weekend.
Prop Ryan O'Hara has a broken jaw and is replaced by Jarrod Saffy on a five-man bench that also includes former Junior Kiwi Ben Te'o.
Not considered were Benji Marshall who is recovering from shoulder surgery, Keith Galloway who has a knee injury, Danny Galea who is suspended and wing Shannon MacDonnell, hand injury.
The latter has been replaced by youngster Chris Lawrence who is proving himself a good finisher.
Liam Fulton is at five-eighth, so their attack will not be as unpredictably brilliant as it is with Marshall. Hooker Robbie Farah is their most dangerous weapon.
* Telstra and Fox Sports have reached an out-of-court settlement over rights to game footage in a dispute where the NRL was the meat in the sandwich.
Telstra has a A$90 million ($102 million) six-year deal to game footage for website and cellphone distribution.
Telstra withheld payment to the NRL and took court action after Fox Sports - owned by News Ltd which is part-owner of the NRL - started showing several minutes of footage on websites and on-selling it to Vodafone and others.
Fox Sports has agreed to limit screenings to 105 seconds per game unless there is extraordinary news value and Telstra has given the NRL A$8 million as first payment.
Mt Smart Stadium, 4pm Sunday
NZ WARRIORS
1 Wade McKinnon
2 Patrick Ah Van
3 Tony Martin
4 Simon Mannering
5 Manu Vatuvei
6 Jerome Ropati
7 Michael Witt
8 Ruben Wiki (c)
9 Nathan Fien
10 Sam Rapira
11 Louis Anderson
12 Logan Swann
13 Micheal Luck
WESTS TIGERS
1 Brett Hodgson
2 Daniel Fitzhenry
3 Dean Collis
4 Paul Whatuira
5 Taniela Tuiaki
6 Liam Fulton
7 John Morris
8 Todd Payten
9 Robbie Farah
10 Bryce Gibbs
11 Ben Galea
12 Chris Heighington
13 Dene Halatau
Interchange:
Warriors (from): Lance Hohaia, Sonny Fai, Epalahame Lauaki, Corey Lawrie, Evarn Tuimavave.
Tigers (from): Chris Lawrence, Ben Te'o, Bronson Harrison, Jarrod Saffy, Tevita Metuisala.
