League: Warriors to host Cowboys pre-season

North Harbour Stadium will host the New Zealand Warriors in a pre-season rugby league match against North Queensland on February 22.

It will be the club's second buildup match of 2009, with the first coming 10 days earlier against the Melbourne Storm in Hamilton.

In the North Queensland opposition will be three-year Warriors halfback Grant Rovelli, who was recently granted a release to join the Cowboys after kick-starting his 68-game National Rugby League career in Auckland.

Rovelli won't move to Townsville until next month after his partner Lauren gave birth to the couple's first child last week.

He has continued training with the Warriors and was officially farewelled by the club on Tuesday.

- NZPA