With three weeks before the start of the season the Warriors have suffered an injury setback, with Micheal Luck requiring more surgery on his wrist.
The loose forward had his scaphoid [bone] pinned in an operation soon after it was discovered he'd played in last year's grand final with a fractured wrist.
Luck also had surgery on his troublesome left shoulder shortly before Christmas, an injury which was set to keep him out of the Warriors' opening fixtures in this year's NRL season.
But the team today confirmed the fracture to Luck's wrist hadn't mended properly and he would now have a bone graft to repair the damage caused, further delaying his planned return.
"It's a setback but that's the way it goes,'' Luck told the Warriors' website. "There's no point worrying about it. What's most important to me is doing everything to help the boys get ready for the start of the season.
"I was already starting the season a bit late after the shoulder surgery I had. Now it'll just be a bit later.''
It may be significantly later. Radio Sport reported the 29-year-old would be out of action for 12 weeks, a bitter blow for last year's beaten finalists.
Luck has deservedly earned a reputation for playing through the pain in his six years at the club. He has missed only 10 of a possible 154 games since making his Warriors debut in 2006, but that tally may now double.
Luck last week told APNZ he was eagerly anticipating getting back out on the field after being restricted to just running at training.
"I just can't wait to get back, especially now they're playing this week. The competitive urge starts flowing again.''
But that urge will have to wait until his wrist heals, an unfortunate prospect as the Warriors set out to win their maiden NRL title.
That quest commences on March 4 in a Grand Final rematch against Manly at Eden Park. Not only will that shot at revenge come without the influential Luck, they'll also be missing prop Jacob Lillyman.
Lillyman tore his right bicep from the tendon early in last Saturday's pre-season match against the Titans and faces three months on the sidelines. He had successful surgery to reattach his biceps tendon in his right arm yesterday.
