Warriors duo in doubt for clash with Titans
Warriors duo Issac Luke and Tohu Harris are racing the clock to be fit for Sunday’s NRL clash against the Titans while the rest of the side looks to move on from the drama surrounding the choice of referee.
Both Luke and Harris had been named in the starting side on Tuesday, with the latter looking to return after spending the last four weeks on the sideline with a knee injury.
The skilful back-rower had his knee strapped and refrained from heavy contact at training yesterday, while Luke also took a limited part as he recovers from the calf injury suffered during last week’s loss to the Storm.
‘‘We’ll make a decision on those two over the next 24 hours,’’ coach Stephen Kearney said.
There was better news on Blake Green with the five-eighth confident he would be ready to play after sitting out last week with a rib complaint.
Forward Leivaha Pulu, who is on the extended bench, is also good to go after making his longawaited return from injury in reserve grade last week. Pulu started the first five games of the season before spending the next 14 weeks recovering from a foot injury he suffered against the Broncos in round six.
Depending on how Harris pulls up, he could be in line for a callup against the team he left to join the Warriors in the offseason.
With the hard-charing Tigers just four points behind on the table, it is crucial that the eighthplaced Warriors bounce back from the 12-6 defeat to the Storm.
However, much of the attention around the game has been on the appointment of referee Gerard Sutton after the NRL said he had been ‘‘demoted’’.
In a hastily deleted tweet, Luke said he was insulted at the wording used by the NRL, saying it was disrespectful to both them and the Titans.
But Green said it was important not to get caught up in what is being said outside the club.
Sutton was widely criticised for his controversial showing in last week’s match between the Raiders and Sharks.
But Sutton is regarded as one of the best referees in the competition, and both Green and captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck said they were happy to have him in control this weekend.