NRL: Injured wingers struggling for role in Newcastle match

Manu Vatuvei may miss this weekend's clash with the Knights. Photo / Getty Images

Two of the most exciting wingers in the NRL are struggling to get over injuries ahead of the Knights-Warriors clash in Newcastle this weekend.

The home team's Fijian speedster Akuila Uate is battling a hamstring strain and big Aucklander Manu Vatuvei is rated just a chance of playing by coach Ivan Cleary because of a knee problem.

The Warriors will again be without captain Steve Price (throat), secondrower Ben Matulino (ankle) and utility Lance Hohaia (knee) but all could return against the Roosters at Mt Smart in a fortnight.

The team named yesterday is the same which lost the defensive battle with Souths.

"The one good thing to come out of the match against the Rabbitohs was that we didn't add to our injury list," said Cleary.

Aidan Kirk is listed on Vatuvei's left wing and tackles the Scots-born wing James McManus while Denan Kemp must cope with Uate, if the flyer is fit. A surfer who plays in a band, 21-year-old Uate has six tries from his eight NRL games, three from four games this season.

Also on the Knights' casualty list are test player Steve Simpson (hamstring), former Warrior Cooper Vuna and fellow wing Wes Naiqama, centre Luke MacDougall plus prop Dan Tolar (knees) and hooker Cameron Ciraldo (ankle). Regular five-eighth Jarrod Mullen will again come from the bench wearing a brace to protect a broken rib suffered three weekends ago.

The battle of the fullbacks promises plenty.

Warriors' Wade McKinnon made 205 metres against Souths last weekend and scored his first try of the year while centre Jerome Ropati ran for 189 metres. McKinnon is ranked third among all players for most metres gained (593 in four matches), third for most kick return metres (250) and third for most tackle breaks (21).

The Knights captain and fullback Kurt Gildey is in sparkling form with the most tackle breaks of all players (26), he beats McKinnon on running metres (643) and is just behind in terms of kick-return (241m). And their Otahuhu-trained centre Junior Sau is making similar gains to Ropati.

* The Sharks have lost captain Paul Gallen for two weeks on a striking charge after he hit Kiwi Ben Roberts in the throat, the Bulldog in doubt for this weekend's game against Souths. Two other Cronulla players will be sidelined when Cronulla meet the Raiders this weekend, former Warrior wing Misi Taulapapa banned for leading into a tackle with his feet - his second suspension this season - and Kade Snowden out for a grapple tackle.

* Manly have named fullback Brett Stewart after he completed a four-game ban for drunkenness at the club's season launch. Stewart appeared in the local district court yesterday and denied one charge of sexual assault and one of indecent assault that relate to an incident after the function.