NRL: Stars' return lifts hopes at home

Simon Mannering. Photo / Dean Purcell

Happy days could be on their way back to Mt Smart Stadium after three of the Warriors' biggest stars were named to face North Queensland Cowboys on Saturday night.

Captain Simon Mannering, strike winger Manu Vatuvei and senior half Brett Seymour have all been slated for a return as the Warriors seek to snap a three-match losing run - and end a demoralising three-game home skid.

Having watched his under-powered side tail off alarmingly after a bright start to the season, coach Ivan Cleary welcomed the return of his big guns.

Inexperienced stand-ins such as James Maloney and Lewis Brown had done a good job but the absence of a raft of injured senior players had eventually taken its toll, Cleary said.

"They can hold the fort for a while but after that it starts to become a little bit harder," he said.

"It's a bit like in Happy Days when The Fonz ain't around. Ralph Mouth and Potsy can only keep it going so long. We've got a few blokes back this week and that will definitely boost everybody's confidence. They won't change everything themselves but ... if you are standing next to some of those guys in the field you feel a bit bigger."

Kevin Locke also joins the returning trio after a two-match absence, while 22-year-old Mangere East product Mataupu Poching makes his debut in the front row after some strong form in the New South Wales Cup.

"[Poching] has been doing a great job in the Vulcans, been a standout for them pretty much every game," Cleary said.

Joel Moon is the major casualty, dropping out of the squad for the first time this season to make room for Seymour. There was also no place for Lewis Brown, who will join Moon and discarded fullback Wade McKinnon in the Vulcans.

Locke replaces Patrick Ah Van, who broke his jaw against Canberra. Television replays showed Ah Van clutching his jaw soon after colliding with Ben Matulino as he celebrated his spectacular try against the Raiders. But a club official said he had already suffered the injury before that incident.

Locke was dropped after struggling under the high ball in the round six defeat by Penrith. His place was taken by Brent Tate, then Ah Van, but Cleary believed the time was right to get him back.

"Kevin is a player we've always seen as a future regular and we still feel that way. He has had to go back and bide his time in second grade but we feel like he is ready to come back and do a good job."

* Mt Smart Stadium, 7.30pm Saturday

Warriors
Lance Hohaia, Kevin Locke, Brent Tate, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, James Maloney, Brett Seymour, Sam Rapira, Aaron Heremaia, Mataupu Poching, Simon Mannering (capt), Ukuma Ta'ai, Micheal Luck.

Interchange: Ian Henderson, Ben Matulino, Jeremy Latimore, Russell Packer, Jesse Royal (one to be omitted).

Cowboys
Matt Bowen, Michael Bani, Willie Tonga, Ashley Graham, John Williams, Grant Rovelli, Michael Morgan, Matthew Scott (capt), Aaron Payne, James Tamou, Scott Bolton, Willie Mason, Leeson Ah Mau.

Interchange: Anthony Watts, Dane Hogan, Manase Manuokafoa, Antonio Kaufusi.