Harris out as right knee now injured
Tohu Harris’ hopes of a playing return have been dashed, with the Warriors second-rower ruled out of tomorrow’s NRL clash against St George Illawarra in Wollongong.
The 26-year-old Kiwi international was set to make his comeback against the Dragons at WIN Stadium after recovering from a meniscus tear in his left knee, but has now injured his right knee in a field session.
Harris, who hasn’t played since the Warriors’ loss to the Cronulla Sharks in June, will return home for minor surgery but it remains unclear how long he is expected to be sidelined or whether he will be fit to play again this season.
Harris’ latest setback is a massive blow to the Warriors’ hopes of posting an historic first victory at WIN Stadium, where they have gone winless in 10 previous visits.
His absence comes as the Warriors look to bounce back from consecutive defeats to the Melbourne Storm and the Gold Coast Titans, to consolidate their place at the bottom of the top eight with just five rounds remaining before the playoffs.
The Warriors are still odds-on to make the playoffs, sitting four points ahead of the Wests Tigers with a superior points differential, but a Tigers winning streak coupled with a sustained poor period from the Warriors could put the Kiwi side under pressure.
Harris’ replacement in the No 12 jersey has yet to be confirmed, while another player is required to be omitted from the Warriors’ original 21-man squad at 5pm today, 24 hours ahead of what is now an increasingly tough clash against the Dragons. There are some good head-to-head clashes all over the paddock but the main battle will be between halves Ben Hunt and Shaun Johnson. Both need to put their stamp on the game early and also take charge if it's close down the stretch. The Dragons ooze confidence when Hunt is firing. Ditto for Johnson and the Warriors. The heavy loss to the Roosters shouldn't send everyone into panic mode at the Dragons, but it certainly highlighted areas they need to improve if they are going to win the premiership. They need their forwards to dish up a damaging performance — the kind they routinely delivered in the first half of the season — and keep the visitors on the back foot. They can't afford to play half a game like they did last week. The Warriors need Johnson and Blake Green to confidently direct traffic in attack, while their hot and cold forward pack needs to meet the Dragons head-on in the middle. The Warriors lead the NRL in offloads with 245, with the Dragons (243) the next best. The Warriors also have more 40/20 kicks (4) than any other team. Johnson leads the NRL in field goals (4).
Warriors coach Stephen Kearney has reminded senior forward Adam Blair to watch his tackling as he prepares to return from his second suspension of the year in tomorrow’s NRL clash against St George Illawarra in Wollongong.
The 32-year-old lock is clear to play against the Dragons at WIN Stadium after being suspended twice in six weeks, but can’t afford any further runins with the match review committee in the lead in to the finals with 82 carryover points still beside his name.
Blair missed last week’s 36-12 defeat to the Titans while serving a onematch ban for a late shot on Storm forward Kenny Bromwich in the Warriors’ defeat to Melbourne at Mt Smart Stadium a fortnight ago.
The former Kiwis captain served a two-match ban in June, for a dangerous tackle on North Queensland wing Kyle Feldt in the round 15 win over the Cowboys in Townsville.
That suspension forced him to withdraw from the New Zealand side for the mid-year Denver test against England and sit out the defeat to Cronulla.
Kearney accepts Blair’s job description includes putting pressure on opposition kickers and ball players, but stressed the need for him to err on the side of caution when looking to make his presence felt.
“What he has to have an awareness of is when ball players pass the footy you can’t whack them when they’ve got their back to you. I’ve made him pretty aware of that,” said Kearney.
“But the stuff like kick pressure, that’s part of Adam’s job and he’s built his career on that, hassling the halves. But they brought in a rule just this year about hitting, particularly the halves, but all ball players, late, without the footy, when they’re facing away from you. You can’t do that. He knows that.
“He’s a leader of the team and in