Adam Blair has benefited from Agnatius Paasi's suspension, earning a spot on the Warriors bench this weekend.
Blair has missed the last two weeks through suspension and a dip in form, but will have a chance to impress coach Stephen Kearney against his former club, the Brisbane Broncos, on Saturday night in Auckland.
- Kodi Nikorima prepares to face former club Brisbane Broncos
- Cooper Cronk announces NRL retirement
- Remembering Kiwi 'colossus' Quentin Pongia
Paasi will miss one game, after being charged for a dangerous throw in the 30-10 win over the Panthers last week.
His omission means Bunty Afoa has been promoted to the starting line-up in the only change to the side that impressively dispatched the demoralised Panthers in the Blue Mountains.
The match-up against the Broncos has special significance on a number of fronts.
For just the second time, the NRL Indigenous Round honours New Zealand's indigenous people and culture, as well as indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islanders.
It will be a sombre night though, with the Warriors wearing an Indigenous Round strip bearing '52', the number the legendary Quentin Pongia claimed when he played for the club in 1998.
He passed away last Saturday and will be farewelled at Greymouth High School at midday this Saturday.
A video tribute to Pongia (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Terino) will play on the big screen at Mount Smart Stadium, while a minute's silence will be observed before kick-off in honour of the 35-test Kiwi front rower.
The night will have a special touch for new signing Kodi Nikorima.
In the space of three weeks, the Kiwi playmaker has joined the Warriors from Brisbane, made his debut for his new club at his previous home ground Suncorp Stadium and will now play at his new home ground for the first time against his old club.
The Warriors and Brisbane enter the match with back-to-back wins, the home side sitting 10th on the NRL ladder with eight points, while the Broncos are 11th on the same points.
In 41 previous encounters, the Warriors have won 18 times to Brisbane's 23. The ledger at Mount Smart Stadium favours the home side 12-9.
When they last met in Auckland in the sixth round last season, Brisbane ended the Warriors' season-opening run of five straight wins with a 27-18 victory.
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