New South Welshman Kirk, who turns 22 on the eve of the match, will wear the No 1 jersey after regular fullback Wade McKinnon was sidelined with a season-ending knee injury in the first pre-season trial against the Newcastle Knights on February 15.
A former Sydney Roosters reserve grader, Kirk was signed as the Warriors' back-up fullback for 2007, but those plans were disrupted when he too needed a knee reconstruction after being injured in the 2006 New South Wales Premier League grand final.
After a late start to the 2007 campaign, he became a regular for the Auckland Lions in their debut season in the premier league competition, playing his 15 games at fullback or in the centres.
Coach Ivan Cleary said he was thrilled Kirk would have the chance to play in the NRL.
‘‘He had a big setback with his knee injury and that impacted on the season he had in 2007, but he's had a full off-season this summer and now he's ready.''
Kirk had game time at fullback in the trial against Newcastle and again against Manly on February 29, while utility players Lance Hohaia and Patrick Ah Van were also used there during the trials programme.
Former Brisbane centre Brent Tate will also be making his first appearance for the Warriors. He will be partnered in the centres with Jerome Ropati.
Also named are forwards Simon Mannering, now moved in from the centres, and Micheal Luck, Nathan Fien and Sam Rapira, who all played all of the Warriors' 26 games last year.
Mannering and Rapira also appeared in each of the Kiwis' six tests to give them a total of 32 top-level matches in 2007.
Rapira will be one of the starting props with captain Steve Price with veteran Ruben Wiki to make his 289th NRL appearance from the bench.
Cleary has settled on a split of two props, a back rower and a utility as his interchange players. The latter spot has gone to Hohaia.
Ropati and winger Manu Vatuvei return to the line-up after missing the tail-end of the Warriors' 2007 campaign through injury.
