NRL: Tate and mates invigorate Warriors

Brent Tate will be a welcome addition to the Warriors backline on Saturday night. Photo / Dean Purcell

The Warriors welcome back four key players for Saturday night's NRL match with Melbourne Storm in Auckland.

Lance Hohaia, Kevin Locke, Brent Tate and Brett Seymour have all been cleared to return from injury for the 19th-round match.

After missing the wins over Parramatta and Penrith with a groin complaint, Hohaia slots back into his regular spot at fullback with Jerome Ropati reverting to the centres.

Stand-in centre Lewis Brown returns to his starting backrower's role.

Tate, who has missed the past four matches with a broken jaw, is back in the centres for Joel Moon.

He pairs up again with Locke, sidelined for the wins over the Eels and the Panthers after colliding with a goalpost while scoring the match-winning try against the Sydney Roosters in Christchurch on June 27.

Halfback Seymour has recovered from a leg fracture to make his fifth appearance for the club, joining James Maloney in the halves.

Seymour missed seven games after breaking his thumb in the opening round of the season and has been out for another five matches since breaking his leg against Wests Tigers on May 28.

Winger Bill Tupou (hand) and Isaac John (knee) were not considered this week after picking up injuries in Sunday's 12-6 win over Penrith.

"It's obviously a boost being able to bring back experienced players like Lance, Brent and Brett but it was also a really difficult side to select for this match because the team has been going well lately," Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said.

With Hohaia, Locke, Tate, Seymour and Lillyman playing this weekend, Kiwi prop Sam Rapira is the only senior player still on the casualty list. Cleary said it was hoped Rapira would be fully recovered from his knee injury in two weeks.

North Queensland utility Anthony Watts is facing one week on the sidelines after being charged with a grade one dangerous throw, in the Cowboys' loss, by the NRL's match review committee.

Watts lifted Parramatta captain Nathan Cayless in the 79th minute of the Monday night clash, and is facing a week's suspension should he take the early guilty plea or fight the charge and lose.

Mt Smart Stadium, 7.30pm Saturday

WARRIORS
Lance Hohaia
Kevin Locke
Brent Tate
Jerome Ropati
Manu Vatuvei
James Maloney
Brett Seymour
Jesse Royal
Aaron Heremaia
Russell Packer
S Mannering (c)
Lewis Brown
Micheal Luck

STORM
Billy Slater
Matt Duffie
Chase Stanley
Greg Inglis
Dane Nielsen
Brett Finch
Cooper Cronk
Bryan Norrie
Cameron Smith (c)
Brett White
Adam Blair
Sika Manu
Kevin Proctor

Warriors: Ian Henderson, Ben Matulino, Jeremy Latimore, Ukuma Ta'ai, Sione Lousi (one to be omitted)

Storm: Ryan Hinchcliffe, Todd Lowrie, Aiden Tolman, Jeff Lima, Ryan Hoffman.

- NZPA, AAP