NRL: Ah Van back for Warriors

Patrick Ah Van will make his first National Rugby League appearance of the season for the New Zealand Warriors on Saturday night in a reshuffled backline.

The Warriors face Canberra in Auckland and coach Ivan Cleary today named Ah Van on one wing, allowing Brent Tate to revert to his usual spot at centre.

Utility Lance Hohaia moves from five-eighth to fullback in place of Wade McKinnon, who drops to a five-man bench, while Joel Moon shifts from centre to the No 6 jersey.

There is also a forced change in the starting forward pack, with Ben Matulino replacing Jacob Lillyman, who lasted only 16 minutes of the 6-40 loss to Melbourne on Sunday.

Lillyman has been diagnosed with a foot fracture, which will leave him sidelined for six to eight weeks, and he joins an injury list that already includes other frontliners in Simon Mannering, Steve Price, Brett Seymour and Manu Vatuvei.

"We've had a decent share of injuries and losing Jacob is yet another blow," Cleary said.

"It means we're further down on experience in our forwards this weekend."

He said backline changes were aimed at providing more balance, adding that Ah Van had earned his chance with consistent form for the Auckland Vulcans in the New South Wales Cup.

Ah Van made his NRL debut four years ago and has played 53 first-grade matches at fullback, wing and centre, but has operated at five-eighth for the Vulcans.

The defeat to the Storm, who showed plenty of motivation in the wake of their salary cap scandal, marked the second match in succession that the Warriors had leaked 40 points and Cleary expressed plenty of disappointment in those performances.

"We have to be a lot better in all areas of the game against the Raiders," he said.

"They've got some of the NRL's most promising young players and have the ability to be a danger for every side. But for us, this weekend will depend so much on what we do and what we can control."

New Zealand Warriors: Lance Hohaia, Patrick Ah Van, Brent Tate, Jerome Ropati, Bill Tupou, Joel Moon, James Maloney, Sam Rapira, Aaron Heremaia, Russell Packer, Lewis Brown, Ben Matulino, Micheal Luck (captain).

Interchange (one to be omitted): Wade McKinnon, Jesse Royal, Ukuma Ta'ai, Jeremy Latimore, Ian Henderson.

- NZPA