NZ Warriors coach Stacey Jones has kept faith with his starting side and welcomed back half Chanel Harris-Tavita onto an extended bench to face North Queensland Cowboys on Friday.
Harris-Tavita, 23, has missed the Warriors' last two matches - and was feared out for the rest of the year - after a knee (MCL) strain suffered in defeat to Melbourne Storm earlier this month.
But preparing for his final games in a Warriors jersey before taking a break from the game next year, Harris-Tavita is named on the extended bench that will be narrowed down later this week.
Jones is understandably backing the same starting side that defeated Canterbury Bulldogs 42-18 last Friday - the Warriors' biggest win of the season.
Daejarn Asi keeps the No.6 jersey to partner Shaun Johnson in the halves and will face the Cowboys, whom he left earlier this year to join the Warriors.
The Auckland side have happy memories against the Cowboys, after a Johnson field goal gave them a 25-24 victory in April.
NZ Warriors: 1-Reece Walsh, 2-Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3-Viliami Vailea, 4-Marcelo Montoya, 5-Edward Kosi, 6-Daejarn Asi, 7-Shaun Johnson, 8-Addin Fonua-Blake, 9-Wayde Egan, 10-Tohu Harris (c), 11-Euan Aitken, 12-Jack Murchie, 13-Bunty Afoa
Interchange (from): 14-Freddy Lussick 15-Tom Ale, 16-Eliesa Katoa, 17-Josh Curran, 18-Chanel Harris-Tavita, 20-Dunamis Lui, 21-Jackson Frei, 22-Adam Pompey, 23-Rocco Berry
Join Newshub for live updates of NZ Warriors v North Queensland Cowboys from 8pm Friday
