Warriors

Foran still no certainty for Warriors debut

The Warriors desperately need Foran having lost three of their first four games of the season.

He was due to play last round against St George but was a late withdrawal after suffering a hamstring injury warming up.

Despite having a history of hamstring and back issues Foran said he hasn't had any problems for a year or so.

"It was really bizarre how it happened," he said.

Warriors hand Bulldogs first win of season

The win ended a six game losing streak for the under fire Bulldogs coach Des Hasler.

A resilient defensive effort combined with attacking potency was the key to Canterbury's win.

The win was also the Bulldogs' sixth in seven games against the Warriors.

The Warriors had most of the possession in the first 20 minutes and dominated at times but couldn't create the attacking cut-through to claim the two points.

Manu's back

Meanwhile former captain Simon Mannering will make his 261st career appearance to draw level with the great Stacey Jones - and current assistant coach - for the most games for the club.

And Vatuvei, the club's try-scoring record holder, will make his first NRL appearance of the season - and the 226th of his career - after turning out in the second team in the first two rounds this year.

Warriors in short turnaround to meet Storm

The odd five-day turnaround is part of every season for most NRL Telstra Premiership clubs these days, but for the Warriors it's something they have hardly even had to think about in recent times.

Since 2012 the Kiwi club have been involved in just one five-day gap between matches, beating the Tigers 32-22 on April 11, 2015, five days after losing to the Storm on April 6.

This week they will navigate it again when they take on Melbourne on Friday night, after beating Newcastle 26-22 on Sunday afternoon.

'Pressure cooker' debut leaves Warriors rookie Isaiah Papalii hungry for more

But that has only left the 18-year-old forward hungry for more.

Called into action in the 48th-minute for injured back-rower Simon Mannering, Papalii suffered an early setback when he and Bodene Thompson were unable to stop a barnstorming Jack Stockwell close to the try-line, which kick-started the Knights' ultimately unsuccessful comeback.

Warriors start season with win

A first half hat-trick from David Fusitua seemed to give the Warriors an unassailable advantage, despite his side conceding the first try at Mount Smart Stadium.

But the Knights struck back with three quick tries in the second spell turning the Warriors 20-8 half-time lead into a 22-20 defecit.

Hoffman stepped up in the 73rd minute, running onto a short ball and busting over the line when his side needed it most.

Half-back Shaun Johnson told Sky Sport to open the season with a win was "definitely a positive."

Warriors take down Titans

Tuivasa-Sheck was playing his second game back since a serious knee injury ended his 2016 season after just seven games.

Awarded the captaincy two weeks ago, Tuivasa-Sheck is finding his feet in the unfamiliar role.

"I'm feeling comfortable, especially with the boys around me - they're helping me, they're supporting me," he said.

"I haven't done so much stuff as a captain, I've just been one of the boys yelling out the calls and reminding them of their jobs."

Warriors great backs Tuivasa-Sheck captaincy

Lauiti'iti was at the home of the Mangere East Hawks on Thursday as part of the Downer NRL Auckland Nines community carnival, promoting the 2017 Rugby League World Cup along with the 'Volcano' Lesley Vainikolo.

Kata, Rapana to debut for Kiwis

The pair have been selected in the starting line-up by new head coach David Kidwell, in a 19-man team that includes seven changes from side that lost 16-0 to the Kangaroos in the Anzac Test in May.

Among those changes is the return of 17-test veteran Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who last wore the Kiwis jersey at the 2013 World Cup.

Hooker Issac Luke - who is the most-capped player in the side - will play his 37th test for the Kiwis on Saturday after he missed the May Test due to poor form.

Gold Coast Titans lose first game with Jarryd Hayne against Warriors

In front of a bumper 25,109 crowd keen to catch their first glimpse of the Titans' superstar recruit, it was Warriors' playmaker Shaun Johnson who stole the show.

Johnson set up two second-half tries to break a 10-10 half-time deadlock, as the Warriors (24 points) leapfrog the Titans (23) into seventh on the competition ladder.

Solomone Kata's intercept try, his second four-pointer of the match and 12th of the season, sealed the match for the visitors.