KEY POINTS:
It seems NRL sides will stick with the formula of using a hooker off the bench this season as the game shifts to a 10-man interchange.
Pre-season trials including the Warriors' run against Manly on the Sunshine Coast at the weekend have featured as many as 23 players with unlimited interchange and many sides have been testing multiple forwards, the Sea Eagles using seven props against the Warriors as they won 24-16.
The decision for most coaches will be whether to go with two props from the bench, as was the custom under the 12 interchange rule, or to bring on a smaller man who might take advantage of the increased fatigue factor at the back end of each half.
That's where Lance Hohaia might finally find a permanent role, after being shunted all over the park from hooker to centre and now fullback.
Hohaia had a stint in the one jersey towards the end of the match in front of just over 8000 people at Stockland Park, Kawana on Friday night but former Rooster Aidan Kirk was the preferred starter. Kirk dropped a swirling bomb early on to allow the Eagles points but recovered to play solidly.
The Warriors used 22 of the 23 players they took over, Simon Mannering rested. He is sure to shift to the second row, with Brent Tate now fully recovered from knee surgery and playing 40 minutes on Friday. The other centre, Jerome Ropati, who had shoulder surgery, is also fully fit. Only regular number one Wade McKinnon will be unavailable for selection for game one.
The starting side shapes as predictable: Kirk, Manu Vatuvei on one wing with either Michael Crockett or Ryan Shortland on the other, Tate and Ropati in the centres, the 2007 halves Michael Witt and Grant Rovelli retained there.
Steve Price will lead Nathan Fien and Sam Rapira in the front row with Mannering and veteran Ruben Wiki in the second row, solid lock Michael Luck keeping his spot. New hooker Ian Henderson will be one bench man, Wairangi Koopu another. That leaves Evarn Tuimavave, Epalahame Lauaki and Logan Swann fighting for the impact forward spot, unless coach Ivan Cleary elects to go for Hohaia.
The Warriors were up 12-10 at the break against Manly and were run down in the second spell but scored last through wing Malo Solomona, rated one of the fastest men at the club.
The new under-20s side beat their Broncos counterparts 10-0. Both Warriors teams open their NRL account against the Storm in Melbourne in two weeks.
The Storm slipped to an 11-4 defeat in a sometimes spiteful World Club Challenge game played in appalling conditions at Elland Rd, the NRL grandfinal winners fielding 11 of their premiership side against the Rhinos, who are 4-0 in Super League.
In other NRL trial matches, Souths returning halfback Craig Wing scored the winner as they downed St George 24-20 in the annual Charity Shield contest in front of 33,000. Kiwis Roy Asotasi and David Kidwell were prominent.
The Gold Coast thrashed Wests Tigers 32-4, the Knights scraped home 26-24 over Cronulla and the Eels' backline was the difference in a 34-18 win over the Roosters.
