Saturday, Mt Smart Stadium, 5:30pm
Referee: Sean Hampstead

If the Warriors, who are in 13th place, still seriously entertain thoughts of making the finals, then this is a game they must win. They are playing at home against an opponent that has been bashed around by injury this season and which has lost nine games in a row. The Cowboys get superstar halfback Johnathan Thurston back from State of Origin duty, but it doesn't seemed to matter much whether he has been in the team or not this season. They are certainly more threatening when he is there, but their winning percentage doesn't increase much. There have been so many other star players missing that it has been just too much to ask of Thurston to expect him to make the difference all on his own.

The Warriors had the bye last weekend. In the round before that, they went to Leichhardt Oval and beat Wests Tigers, which is hard for any team to do. That result showed what the Warriors are capable of, but they have made it difficult for themselves this season because of their inconsistency. They get a great chance to edge closer to the top eight with a win here, but if they lose they will only be four points off last place.

LATE MAIL
Warriors coach Ivan Cleary is yet to make a decision on whether Michael Witt will play after being named earlier this week on a five-man bench. Cowboys coach Ian Millward is also undecided about the final make-up of his side.
Nathan Ryan

WARRIORS: Lance Hohaia, Malo Solomona, Brent Tate, Sonny Fai, Aidan Kirk, Nathan Fien, Grant Rovelli, Ruben Wiki, Ian Henderson, Steve Price (capt), Simon Mannering, Logan Swann, Micheal Luck. Interchange: Jerome Ropati, Evarn Tuimavave, Sam Rapira, Ben Matulino, Michael Witt (one to be omitted)

COWBOYS: Mark Henry, Brandon Boor, Ashley Graham, Ben Harris, John Williams, Anthony Watts, Johnathan Thurston (capt), Ray Cashmere, Aaron Payne, Shane Tronc, Sione Faumuina, Scott Bolton, Steve Southern. Interchange: Ben Farrar, Greg Byrnes, Ben Vaeau, Dayne Weston, Sam Faust (one to be omitted)