NRL: Prop Packer latest Warrior head to roll

Russell Packer. Photo / Getty Images

Ivan Cleary's culling of under-performing Warriors has claimed another victim, with prop Russell Packer joining Lance Hohaia, Brett Seymour and Joel Moon as big name players to have been dumped this season.

Jeremy Latimore has replaced Packer in the only announced change for the match against the Roosters at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday night.

Packer's omission does not appear to be injury-related, with the 22-year-old Levin native expected to play for the Vulcans in Saturday's curtain-raiser.

Packer played just 27 minutes of Sunday's victory over the Sharks, running for 75m on 10 carries and making 16 tackles.

The club's second-ranked prop behind Sam Rapira heading into the season, Packer has hardly been dreadful - but neither has he hit great heights.

So far this season he has averaged 91m a game to rank 23rd among NRL props.

While he has been steady, committing just one error and making 27.5 tackles a match, he has not offered much in the way of penetration. Whether Latimore, who made 16 appearances for the club last season, can offer more remains to be seen.

Latimore has been named on the interchange bench, with Rapira moving into the starting line-up.

Hooker Alehana Mara will also turn out for the Vulcans after serving as an unused 18th man against the Sharks. That means Cleary appears set to stick with the curious tactic of carrying winger Kevin Locke on the bench. Locke played the final 20 minutes against the Sharks when Shaun Berrigan switched from centre to hooker to spell Aaron Heremaia.

Young second rower Matt Robinson comes in for Mara on a five-man bench.

Cleary has largely stuck with the same line-up that beat the Sharks, but appears underwhelmed with much of the performance in Taupo.

"The best part about the effort against the Sharks was the win," Cleary said. "It was one we needed but we all know there are a lot of aspects of our performance which will need to improve against the Roosters."

The Roosters head into the match having snapped a two-game losing streak by beating the injury-ravaged Tigers 24-6 on Sunday.

With the Vulcans and the Warriors' defending champion NYC team also in action, Saturday's event is a triple header.

The Vulcans play Roosters' feeder club Newtown Jets at 3.00pm. The Auckland club is among the pace-setters in the New South Wales Cup, winning three of their four matches - all away - and featuring a clutch of NRL players.

Seymour, Moon, Sione Lousi, Robinson and Pita Godinet turned out in last Saturday's 40-22 win over the Windsor Wolves, with Moon scoring two tries and Seymour kicking six goals.

Saturday, Mt Smart Stadium 7.30pm

WARRIORS
Glen Fisiiahi
Bill Tupou
Shaun Berrigan
S. Mannering (c)
Krisnan Inu
Feleti Mateo
James Maloney
Sam Rapira
Aaron Heremaia
Jacob Lillyman
Lewis Brown
Ukuma Ta'ai
Micheal Luck

ROOSTERS
A. Minichiello
Justin Carney
M. Aubusson
S. Kenny-Dowall
Joseph Leilua
Todd Carney
Mitchell Pearce
J. W-Hargreaves
Jake Friend
Martin Kennedy
Braith Anasta
Tom Symonds
Nate Myles

Warriors: Kevin Locke, Jeremy Latimore, Ben Matulino, Elijah Taylor, Matt Robinson.

Roosters: Jason Ryles, Mose Masoe, Mark Riddell, Frank Paul Nuuausala, Daniel Conn, Tinirau Arona, Phil Graham (three to be omitted).