Warriors hope storm has passed

Sport

The Warriors have targeted a fast start against the Wests Tigers as they look to ensure the Anzac Day capitulation in Melbourne was not the beginning of a downward slide.

By the time kickoff comes around at Mt Smart tonight, the third-placed Warriors will have had 10 days to stew on the 50-10 thumping to the Storm, who put the Kiwi club to the sword with a 38-point first-half blitz.

The players insist there has been no mental scarring from the sorry display, while the team has been boosted by the return of Tohu Harris, Shaun Johnson, Solomone Kata and James Gavet.

Hooker Issac Luke is also a chance to play despite injuring his knee against the Storm, having initially expected to be out for up to a month.

Utility Karl Lawton is likely to come into the starting side on his club debut if Luke is ruled out.

But it will not matter who takes the field against Benji Marshall and co if the team fails to aim up from the opening whistle.

‘‘There’s things we’ve spoken about that we want to get right and that’s the effort and energy we put into the start of the game,’’ Harris said.

‘‘We felt like we didn’t start well against Melbourne and if we do the same against the Tigers they’ve got a dangerous team that can make you pay.’’

Harris missed the Storm game due to concussion after suffering two heavy head knocks during the previous week’s win over the Dragons.

The second saw him knocked out for the first time in his career but the Kiwis back-rower said there had been no lingering symptoms.

Harris had been one of the Warriors’ best until that point and in a promising