It is not going to get any easier for the stumbling Warriors who will take on the Premiership-winning Panthers without four key players this weekend.
Injuries have forced major changes to the Warriors’ lineup for Sunday’s Magic Round encounter at Suncorp Stadium.
Halfback Shaun Johnson, centre Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Rocco Berry and Freddy Lussick have all joined other regular first graders Kurt Capewell, Marata Niukore, Chanel Harris Tavita and Luke Metcalf on the injury list.
Johnson suffered a minor pectoral muscle injury in Sunday’s loss to the Sydney Roosters.
It will keep him out of the club’s next two matches against the Panthers and the Dolphins with the expectation he’ll return after the club’s round 13 bye.
Centre Tuivasa-Sheck is set to be out until round 17 with a hamstring strain, fellow centre Berry (fractured hand) is expected to be back after the bye and back-up hooker Lussick is following concussion protocols after a head knock on Sunday.
With the Warriors deprived of a combined total of almost 900 NRL appearances, head coach Andrew Webster has been forced to name a much-changed backline and extended bench.
With three of the club’s four NRL halves injured, Johnson, Harris-Tavita and Metcalf, Webster has moved Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad from fullback to standoff with Te Maire Martin taking over at halfback.
That sees Taine Tuaupiki named at fullback for his ninth NRL appearance, his first outing since the round three win against Canberra in Christchurch.
Adam Pompey, who came in for Tuivasa-Sheck on Sunday, is paired in the centres with Ali Leiataua, set to play just his second first-grade game after debuting against Canberra last June.
Returning on the left wing is Marcelo Montoya for an occasion which coincides with the 200th career appearance for his established wing partner Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
The 34-year-old is off contract at the end of this year, and a ruptured pectoral would have the potential of ending his season early.
But after leaving Johnson on the field for most of the game, coach Andrew Webster is not that concerned.
“If there was going to be an issue there or going to end with a ruptured pec, I wouldn’t have had him stay on the field,” Webster said.
“I don’t know if he’s good for next week. He battled on at halftime. It was a tough conversation.
Johnson appeared to battle through significant pain in the Warriors’ fourth straight defeat, before leaving the field with about 14 minutes to go.
