The Warriors have been forced to make multiple changes to the side that beat the Broncos convincingly for their upcoming clash with the Cowboys, including the potential loss of stand-in captain Addin Fonua-Blake.
Coach Nathan Brown named his side for Friday's match in Redcliffe, noting Jazz Tevaga was out due his two-match suspension for dangerous contact and Ben Murdoch-Masila is also sidelined with a leg injury.
A third change has seen Fonua-Blake shifted to the extended bench under an "injury cloud" the club said in a statement, saying he "picked up a knock" in last Saturday's win.
Fonua-Blake, who has served as captain of the team in the absence of injured skipper Tohu Harris so far in 2022, will train through the week before a final call is made.
Offsetting the losses are the returns of interchange prop Aaron Pene [shoulder] and back rower Bayley Sironen [Covid].
First-choice centre Rocco Berry also returns after missing last week with a virus, while fellow young centre Viliami Vailea is on the expanded bench having recovered from the knee injury which sidelined him after the first round.
Brown has opted to put Sironen into the second row with Josh Curran switched back to loose forward.
At the core of the line-up, Brown has been able to name the same spine for a second consecutive week for the first time this season, naming Wayde Egan at hooker, Shaun Johnson and Chanel Harris-Tavita in the halves and Reece Walsh at fullback.
The Warriors enter the game with momentum on their side after turning around two opening losses with back-to-back wins against the West Tigers and Broncos.
The Cowboys are also two-and-two this season, but enter the match having lost 28-4 to the Roosters last Saturday.
Warriors v Cowboys
1 Reece Walsh
2 Edward Kosi
3 Jesse Arthars
4 Adam Pompey
5 Marcelo Montoya
6 Chanel Harris-Tavita
7 Shaun Johnson
8 Bunty Afoa
9 Wayde Egan (C)
10 Matt Lodge
11 Euan Aitken
12 Bayley Sironen
13 Josh Curran
Interchange:
14 Kodi Nikorima
15 Eliesa Katoa
16 Aaron Pene
17 Jack Murchie
18 Taniela Otukolo
20 Addin Fonua-Blake
21 Rocco Berry
22 Pride Petterson-Robati
23 Junior Ratuva
24 Viliami Vailea
25 Otukinekina Kepu
SHARE ME