The Warriors have received a boost ahead of their homecoming match, with marquee prop Addin Fonua-Blake set to play despite being in Covid isolation all week.
Fonua-Blake tested positive after featuring for Tonga against the Kiwis last Saturday and has been confined to his hotel room since, unable to takepart in any team activity in Auckland.
But the 26-year-old tested negative on Saturday and looks likely to take the field against the Wests Tigers (4pm).
"If he tests negative again on Sunday I am pretty confident he will take his place in the team," Warriors' assistant coach Justin Morgan told the Herald on Sunday. "He has to pass a few things with the medical group [on Sunday] but if he does that, he should be okay."
Having the virus and being unable to train has been far from ideal for the Warriors prop, but the club has tried to make the best of the circumstances and he had exercise equipment and a treadmill delivered to his hotel room to facilitate some activity where possible.
"He hasn't been able to do a huge amount, apart from some running and all that," said Morgan. "We have been monitoring him via heart rate and everything to make sure that there wasn't a huge spike and he is obviously under the guidance of the high performance and medical team."
His presence is vital on Sunday.
Along with Tohu Harris he is the Warriors' forward leader and sets the tone, especially with ball in hand.
Fonua-Blake is also the most effective in gaining momentum – with his ability to smash out post-contact metres – and has become even more important with the departure of Matt Lodge and the injury-enforced absence of Ben Murdoch-Masila.
Morgan also confirmed that Chanel Harris-Tavita will replace Reece Walsh at fullback, after the teenager was scratched due to a positive Covid test on Friday.
It's a repeat of the opening round scenario against the St George Illawarra Dragons, when Walsh was suspended.
That was Harris-Tavita's only NRL outing at fullback but he acquitted himself well and has the confidence from a few weeks in pre-season spent learning the position.
"Losing Reece is a fair blow, we know the quality that he brings on attack and he has been great defensively this season, he has made some huge strides forward," said Morgan. "But Chanel has played the role and has been playing footy the last few weeks which makes it a bit more comfortable."
Chanel Harris-Tavita at the Warriors training session and captain's run. Photo / Photosport
The coaching staff considered using Dallin Watene-Zelezniak at the back – as he has played 41 of his 162 NRL games there – but decided against it.
"Rather than change two positions it was better to change just one. The less disruption the better," said Morgan.
Freddy Lussick is promoted to the interchange to provide cover for hooker and in the halves.
As the Warriors end their 1038 day drought on Sunday, only Harris-Tavita, Jazz Tevaga and Adam Pompey remain from the team that ran out in their last Mt Smart match against South Sydney on August 30, 2019.
From this year's squad, Shaun Johnson, Tohu Harris, Bunty Afoa and Josh Curran are the only other players to have worn the Warriors jersey in Penrose.
Sunday will be a particularly special moment for hooker Wayde Egan, who has racked up 50 appearances for the club without playing in New Zealand.
Back rower Eliesa Katoa (40 games) is another Mt Smart rookie, having come into first grade at the start of the 2020 season.
