NRL: Origin stars on deck for Warriors clash

Sam Tomkins will miss another week with a nagging knee injury. Photo / Getty

Injured fullback Sam Tomkins has been left out of the Warriors side named to play in Saturday's away clash with the Gold Coast Titans, but State of Origin forwards Jacob Lillyman and Ryan Hoffman will be given every chance to take the field.

Queensland prop Lillyman and New South Wales second-rower Hoffman go head to head again in Origin II at the Melbourne Cricket Ground tonight and an assessment on their fitness will be made on Thursday.

Tomkins trained well this morning but his PCL knee ligament injury remains a concern and after withdrawing from the last two games against the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters, a final call on his fitness will again be made later in the week.

"We'll have to see. Sam's a week-to-week proposition for us now," said coach Andrew McFadden. "It's been going on long enough to know that I'm not going to get my hopes up but certainly if he's available he comes into contention.

"We'll probably get a better indication tomorrow night when we train. He's been training well earlier in the week but then has just been pulling up sore. It just hasn't settled so until we can get it to a position where he can back up training after training and game after game I don't really want to push him too hard.

"We'll wait and see how he pulls up from tomorrow night and then again it will be a bit of wait and see after he flies so we'll definitely be taking cover."

Tomkins believed the injury was improving but explained his reluctance to take his place in the side with uncertainty hanging over how long he would last.

"It feels pretty good. I trained quite well today so hopefully it's going in the right direction," said Tomkins.

"I just don't want to go into a game and have to let the boys down by pulling out."

Versatile rookie Tui Lolohea has been named in the No1 jersey, and prop Albert Vete and back-rower Raymond Faitala-Mariner revert to the interchange bench after filling in for Lillyman and Hoffman in last Saturday night's heart-breaking 25-21 defeat to the Roosters.

The starting line-up is otherwise unchanged, with hooker Nathan Friend declared fit after recovering from a head-knock that forced him from the park late in the match.

The bench has been revamped, however, with back-up No9 Siliva Havili recalled after he was used against the Knights and Rabbitohs before returning to NSW Cup duty last weekend, while Sebastine Ikahihifo and Charlie Gubb complete the interchange roster.

Prop Sam Lisone and outside back Jonathan Wright are out of the squad this week. Lisone, who has played all 13 games so far this season, had just six minutes against the Roosters before being forced off the field with a back injury.

Warriors team to play the Titans on the Gold Coast on Saturday night:
1. Tui Lolohea, 2. Ken Maumalo, 3. Konrad Hurrell, 4. Solomone Kata, 5. Manu Vatuvei, 6. Chad Townsend, 7. Shaun Johnson, 8. Jacob Lillyman, 9. Nathan Friend, 10. Ben Matulino, 11. Bodene Thompson, 12. Ryan Hoffman, 13. Simon Mannering (c).

Interchange: 14. Siliva Havili, 15, Sebastine Ikahihifo, 16. Raymond Faitala-Mariner, 17. Charlie Gubb, 18. Albert Vete.