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A back injury has ruled Warriors hooker Nathaniel Roache out of their NRL match against Penrith and may throw a lifeline to an out-of-sorts Issac Luke.

Issac Luke may get a reprieve after Warriors starting hooker Nathaniel Roache was ruled out of Friday's NRL match against Penrith.

Roache hasn't recovered from a back injury sustained late in last week's win over St George Illawarra and he didn't board the flight to Sydney on Thursday.

It means coach Stephen Kearney may revert to Luke in the starting hooker role even though the veteran Kiwis international has been off the pace this season and was dropped last week.

Coincidence or otherwise, Luke's six starts this season have all been in games the Warriors have lost, while he's sat out their three wins.

Kearney may hand the hooking duties to utility Karl Lawton, who impressed off the bench against the Dragons in just his second appearance of the season.

Forwards Tohu Harris (knee) and Jazz Tevaga (foot) both passed fitness tests and are set to play.