Musical chairs at the Warriors

Call it a bold of music chairs - the rugby alliance version. You apperceive the deal: if the music stops, grab whatever bench you can.

Yet instead of seats at Mt Acute Amphitheater next year, it'll be jerseys that Warriors players will ascendance for.

Most of the jerseys will be abounding if the music stops at the end of 2013. Pen in Shaun Johnson at halfback, Simon Maering and Feleti Mateo in the additional row, Cheap Fitted Hats   the archetypal Warriors propping battery.

Others won't - accurately the jerseys with the numbers 1, 6 and 9 on the aback of them. If the melody starts aback up again, they'll be abounding - and it won't be by the blokes cutting them this year.

It's accepted ability in the alliance apple that the Warriors are on the border of aouncement a big money signing for the club for next season. Farifax Media understands that amateur is acceptable to be brilliant Wigan fullback Sam Tomkins, on a two-year deal.

While he has played some footy at collision during his Super Alliance and rep careers, Tomkins is absolutely added ill-fitted to the No 1 jersey.

And from a Warriors point of view, why would you blend with that? You wouldn't drive a Porsche down to the bazaar to do the groceries, would you?

With hard-working, but bound adept Nathan Friend acceptable to leave the Warriors at the end of 2013 if his accepted arrangement runs out, that opens up a atom at hooker.b Thomas Leuluai - this year's bounden collision - and Pita Godinet will be in absolute antagonism for this spot, if the club decides adjoin block addition hooker.

That leaves the amount six jersey - the man who would accept to amalgamate with active youngster Shaun Johnson in the Warriors' behindhand pairing. While it was accepted that Elliott was flirting with arena Johnson at collision pre-season, it's acceptable the 50-game halfback will break in his accepted position.

So who's larboard diving for that No 6 jersey? Conceivably aloft Panthers Under-20s brilliant Harry Siejka - plying his barter with the Vulcans at the moment - or acceptable Cowboys signee Chad Townsend?

Rookie centre Carlos Tuimavave? Elliott is a massive fan of Tuimavave, talking him up generally to media and comparing him to Raider abundant Laurie Daley - a adolescent who went from centre to standoff.

Perhaps. Or conceivably Elliott will wish anyone with experience. Say, Kevin Locke?

The Warriors' accepted fullback, and ancient winger, Street Snapback Caps has never played at collision in his 77-game first-grade career - but was accessible to affective to the position if asked by Fairfax this week.

''I wouldn't apperception arena a bit of standoff,'' the four-test Kiwi said.

''It's a key position, like fullback is. You're up in the line.

''I wouldn't apperception arena a bit of six - but I'm adequate fullback at the moment. I'll just plan harder there, and see how area I end up in the future.''

Elliott ante Locke - who has been in accomplished anatomy aback his acknowledgment from a aback abrasion two weeks ago - and sees a approaching for him at the club admitting accepting off-contract at the end of 2014.

''Regardless of who comes in, I'm cogent you now, Kevin Locke will be a allotment of our team,'' Elliott said.

''I am a massive fan and he's a guy that can win amateur for you. He is a guy that if he recognises how acceptable he is, can do it consistently.''

At the moment the music is still arena at Mt Smart. In a few months, it will about-face off. A few months afterwards it will appear aback on.

Whatever happens, apprehend the Warriors' advancing back to resemble aihilation you've anytime apparent before.

- Warriors prop Russell Packer will absence today's affray adjoin the Sea Eagles at Mt Acute Amphitheater with a steum injury. Suaia Matagi will alpha in his place. Packer, Monster Energy Hats who was beneath a media ban endure week, amount the club $15,000 afterwards urinating on Suncorp Amphitheater in Brisbane during the Warriors' 56-18 achievement over the Broncos endure Monday.