Rabbitohs v Warriors
ANZ Stadium, 4pm tomorrow
The Junior Warriors will give captain Ben Henry until the last possible moment to prove his fitness for tomorrow's NYC grand final against South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Henry was forced from the field with a high ankle sprain during last weekend's preliminary final victory over the Bulldogs. Such injuries usually take
several weeks to heal but coach John Ackland was optimistic Henry would take his place in an otherwise unchanged line-up.
"He's looking a very, very good chance of playing," Ackland said.
"Aside from that we are at full strength and ready to go."
If Henry is ruled out Henry Chan Ting will come in at hooker, with Elijah Taylor moving to the back row.
The Warriors have well and truly had the wood on the minor premier Rabbitohs, winning all five meetings between the clubs at NYC level.
This year the Warriors won 41-18 at Mt Smart Stadium, then squeaked home 19-18 in Sydney in round 20.
The Rabbitohs had the more comfortable trip into the grand final, overcoming Gold Coast side in week one and then thrashing the Raiders 64-18 in last week's preliminary final.
By contrast the Warriors have had to stage second-half comebacks to see off Manly and the Bulldogs.
Last week they trailed the Bulldogs 10-0 at halftime but stormed home with a 23-6 second-half effort to book the club's fifth grand final appearance at all levels.
"We weren't playing mugs last week," Ackland said. "[The Bulldogs] were a very, very good football team. They had won 16 out of 17 matches, so you can't expect an easy win. It's never going to be a procession of tries. It is a grind and it will be a grind [tomorrow] too because Souths are a very, very good side."
Souths can be expected to target the Warriors' right-side defence, where the Bulldogs frequently exposed Knights-bound centre Siuatonga Likiliki and young wing Omar Slaimankhel.
"I think that was just a case of numbering up," Ackland said. "We have worked on that this week ... I'm sure we'll be okay. But they have got very good backs. "
With one U19, two reserve-grade deciders and the 2002 NRL grand final against the Roosters all ending in defeat, Ackland's side is out to break a finals duck that dates right back to 1995.
RABBITOHS v WARRIORS
Rabbitohs
Malcolm Webster
James Roberts
Junior Vaivai
Kane Morgan
Josh Mansour
Matt Mundine
Adam Reynolds
Josh Starling
Nathan Peats (c)
Francis Laulu
Adrian Ha'angana
Joseph So'oalo
Blake Judd
Interchange: Jake Shearer, Jacob Nansen, Jack Tulemau, Brendan McKinnon.
Warriors
Glen Fisiiahi
Omar Slaimankhel
Sosaia Feki
Siuatonga Likiliki
Elijah Niko
Carlos Tuimavave
Shaun Johnson
Neccrom Areaiiti
Elijah Taylor
Mark Ioane
Matt Robinson
Ben Henry (c)
Sebastine Ikahihifo
Interchange: Nafe Seluini, Charlie Gubb, Sam Lousi, Daniel Palavi, Henry Chan-Ting, John Palavi.
