League: Thompson returns to Warriors for Cowboys clash

Bodene Thompson is returning for the Warriors this weekend. Photo / Getty

The Warriors will have the services of Bodene Thompson for their final home match of the season against the North Queensland Cowboys this weekend.

The second rower has recovered from the ankle injury which ruled him out of the last three Warriors clashes, while Sione Lousi has also been recalled from the New South Wales Cup side after last appearing in the NRL in July.

The 25-year-old Lousi has been named as a starting second rower for his fifth NRL appearance this year and the 47th of his career while Thompson, who played in each of the first 18 games of the campaign, is on the bench.

The duo replace prop Sam Rapira and second rower Raymond Faitala-Mariner. Rapira is serving a one-match suspension for a dangerous throw charge in the Penrith encounter while Faitala-Mariner will turn out for the NSW Cup side against the Panthers.

"It's good being able to call on the experience Bodene and Sione give us," said Warriors head coach Andrew McFadden.

"We've lost even more experience with Sam being suspended and the fact is we were already light in that area in any case. We need the experience to balance the number of young players we have in our side.

"Bodene has had a great season for us and Sione had a terrific game for the NSW Cup side at the weekend."

Rapira's suspension has denied the 10-season NRL veteran a farewell appearance in front of the home Mount Smart Stadium crowd before he leaves the NRL to finish his playing career with Huddersfield in the English Super League.

Rapira, who has played 173 NRL games for the club since 2006, will be acknowledged as a departing player after Saturday night's game along with others who are also finishing up this season. Four of them are lining up against the Cowboys - Sam Tomkins, Dominique Peyroux, Chad Townsend and Nathan Friend.

Giving the departing players a worthy home farewell could be a stern task for the Warriors against the third-placed Cowboys, with the hosts seeking to snap a run of five straight losses.

"It doesn't get any easier for us. There's no question we're doing it tough at the moment in what has been a disappointing season for everyone associated with the club," said McFadden.

"The Cowboys might have lost their last two games but they've been playing fantastic football this year and in Johnathan Thurston they have the best player in the game today."

The Cowboys have already triumphed over the Warriors this season, taking out a last-gasp 28-24 win in round seven.

Warriors: Sam Tomkins, Ken Maumalo, Dominique Peyroux, Solomone Kata, Jonathan Wright, Chad Townsend, Tuimoala Lolohea, Jacob Lillyman, Nathan Friend, Albert Vete, Sione Lousi, Ryan Hoffman, Simon Mannering (c)

Interchange: Konrad Hurrell, Bodene Thompson, Sam Lisone, Charlie Gubb, Matt Allwood