NRL: All-rounder Brown shores up centre

Warriors utility Lweis Brown shifts to centre after playing in the second row last weekend. Photo / Getty Images

Lewis Brown's utility value will be to the fore again on Sunday against the Titans, with the boom player of 2010 slotting into left centre to replace the injured Jerome Ropati.

Brown's second try against the Rabbitohs on Sunday, a dummy half scoot, harked back to his hooker days, but the Cantabrian has been used predominantly in the second row this season.

He has also seen plenty of game time as a makeshift centre, the position in which he finished Sunday's game after Kevin Locke departed with a hamstring injury that will sideline the winger for up to two weeks.

With Ropati gone for up to three weeks with a groin strain, Joel Moon seemed the most likely replacement. However, coach Ivan Cleary has instead named Moon on a five-man bench and shifted Brown out from the left second row position to centre, with Bill Tupou coming on to the right wing for Locke.

Ukuma Ta'ai takes Brown's second row spot, while hard-hitting forward Ben Matulino starts at prop.

"It would have been nice to get through another week without injury issues but that's the way it goes," Cleary said.

Of more concern was a flat performance against the Rabbitohs that ended the club's five-match winning streak.

"We weren't at the level we expect of ourselves," Cleary said.

"Generally we were a bit down but we can't afford to let it slip again this week. Every side presents a challenge in the NRL and Gold Coast will obviously come here with some confidence after beating the Dragons."

Sunday's defeat dropped the Warriors a spot to sixth with 24 points, level with the Titans and Manly.

Three teams are two points ahead on 26 and another three are just behind on 22 as the battle for the top eight intensifies.

WARRIORS

Lance Hohaia
Bill Tupou
Brent Tate
Lewis Brown
Manu Vatuvei
James Maloney
Brett Seymour
Ben Matulino
Aaron Heremaia
Russell Packer
S. Mannering (c)
Ukuma Ta'ai
Micheal Luck

TITANS

Preston Campbell
Kevin Gordon
Steve Michaels
Clinton Toopi
William Zillman
Mat Rogers
Scott Prince
Luke Bailey
Nathan Friend
M. Henderson
A. Laffranchi
Mark Minichiello
B. Thompson

Warriors (from): Ian Henderson, Jesse Royal, Jeremy Latimore, Jacob Lillyman, Joel Moon.

Titans: Matthew White, Brad Meyers, Ben Ridge, Shannon Walker, Luke O'Dwyer.

Mt Smart Stadium, 2pm Sunday