All the speculation over who will play fullback this weekend can now end, with Wade McKinnon getting the nod over Lance Hohia after serving his three game suspension.

McKinnon was found guilty of spitting at a touch judge in the Warriors Round 25 clash with the Panthers, and became only the second player in the NRL to be suspended for spitting.

But, thanks to the fantastic performances by the Warriors over the past three weeks, McKinnon gets a chance to redeem himself against the Sea Eagles this weekend. His return couldn't come at a better time for the Warriors, as they head into the preliminary final - with the winner going to the Grand Final in two weeks.

McKinnon's support play is among the best in the NRL, and could make the difference between the two sides - although the Sea Eagles have a pretty handy fullback in Brett Stewart, who is a try scoring machine.

Hohia has done a standout job filling in for McKinnon, but filling in is really all he can do. He'll make a big impact off the bench, where he can cover a number of positions, and get himself involved on attack a lot more.

Manly will certainly put up a tough challenge, and will definitely go into the clash as odds-on favourites to win. They can't afford to take the Warriors lightly, though, or they'll meet the same fate as the Storm and the Roosters.

Unfortunately for the Storm, they could head into their preliminary final against the Sharks without captain Cameron Smith, who has been cited for a dangerous grapple-tackle on Sam Thaiday. He'll get two weeks off if he takes an early guilty plea, and could face even longer on the sidelines if he challenges the charge.

We think the NRL judiciary need to crack down on players who continue to make these unnecessary grapple-tackles, which are ruining the game. The Storm are renowned for their grappling, and it needs to stop - it's rugby league, not wrestling.

The best way to stamp it out of the game is to come down hard on the repeat offenders, and in this case it's Smith. It doesn't matter that they're only one win away from the final - if they continue to use the grapple-tackle, then they can do so without Smith.

Jeremy Smith is also likely to miss this weekend for using the dangerous 'chicken wing' tackle during the same tackle on Sam Thaiday. Obviously, the Storm aren't getting the message.

The Sharks certainly won't mind if they don't have to worry about Cameron Smith, but it still won't be an easy task. They'll have their hands full, and with the likes of Inglis, Slater and Falou, the Storm still look good for the win.