League: Warriors front-rower James Gavet ruled out of Raiders clash

Warriors front-rower James Gavet has been ruled out of tonight's clash against Canberra. Photo / Photosport.

The Warriors have suffered a blow with aggressive front-rower James Gavet ruled out of tonight's final round NRL clash against Canberra at Mt Smart Stadium.

Reserve prop Bunty Afoa has been promoted to the starting side for the match against the Raiders at Mt Smart Stadium after Gavet was scratched from the side following yesterday's captain's run.

With Afoa starting, back-rower Leivaha Pulu is now included among the four players on the interchange bench.

Back-up hooker Karl Lawton is the other player to drop out of the 21-man squad originally named on Tuesday.

The Raiders yesterday trimmed Makahesi Makatoa and Aidan Sezer from their extended bench.

Milestone man Simon Mannering will be centre stage when he becomes the first player to appear in 300 games for the club, just the 34th to reach the mark in the competition's 100-year history and only the 16th to do so for a single club.

Mannering and halfback Shaun Johnson are the only players in the 2018 side who have had previous finals experience with the Warriors, Mannering being part of play-offs campaigns in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011.

The Warriors go into tonight's match still in eighth place but one of four teams on 30 points on a table which shows just four points between the eight sides and only two points covering second to eighth.

The Stephen Kearney-coached side has the chance to take its tally of wins this season to 15 with victory over the Raiders. That would equal the club's second-best regular season total achieved in 2003 behind the record 17 in the minor premiership-winning campaign in 2002.

For just the second time in their history – 2002 was the first – the Warriors have gone through an entire season sitting inside the top eight every week.

Warriors v Raiders 8pm at Mt Smart Stadium

UPDATED TEAM LISTS:

Warriors: 1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c) 2. David Fusitu'a 3. Peta Hiku 4. Solomone Kata 5. Ken Maumalo 6. Mason Lino 7. Shaun Johnson 16. Bunty Afoa 9. Issac Luke 10. Agnatius Paasi 11. Adam Blair 12. Tohu Harris 13. Simon Mannering
Interchange: 14. Jazz Tevaga 15. Isaiah Papali'i 17. Gerard Beale 18. Leivaha Pulu 20. Anthony Gelling 21. Chris Satae

Raiders: 1. Brad Abbey 2. Nick Cotric 3. Michael Oldfield 4. Joseph Leilua 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Blake Austin 7. Sam Williams 8. Dunamis Lui 9. Josh Hodgson (c) 10. Shannon Boyd 11. Iosia Soliola 12. Elliot Whitehead 13. Josh Papalii
Interchange: 14. Emre Guler 15. Junior Paulo 16. Siliva Havili 17.Luke Bateman 18. Jack Murchie 19. Liam Knight

Referees: Matt Cecchin, Phil Henderson