11 Mar 2009

Price to play 300th NRL game alongside four first time Warriors

7:15 am on 11 March 2009

National rugby league veteran Steve Price will have four first-time Warriors with him, including a debutant, when he makes his 300th first-grade appearance in Saturday night's season-opener against Parramatta at Mount Smart Stadium.

Price celebrates his 35th birthday on Thursday and will play his 78th game for the club, adding to the 222 he had with the Bulldogs from 1994-2004.

He'll become just the eleventh player to appear in 300 games since the NRL began in 1908.

Making his NRL debut from the interchange bench will be 19-year-old prop Leeson Ah Mau.

While making their first appearance for the Warriors are off season signings - former Brisbane winger Denan Kemp, his Broncos team-mate Joel Moon at standoff and former Queensland State of Origin back rower Jacob Lillyman who's on the interchange bench.

Halfback Stacey Jones who's returning from retirement this season wasn't considered for the match as he has a calf injury.

The Warriors will wear black arm bands in every game this season to remember lost teamate Sonny Fai.

Also embroidered on their jerseys is Sonny's signature and his official club number.