Veteran centre Brent Tate came through his first match in 11 months unscathed as the Vodafone Warriors finished their 2010 NRL trials programme with a 16-16 draw in a tough encounter at North Harbour Stadium today.

Tate (27), a late addition to the squad, played the first 22 minutes of the game and returned for the last 23 minutes in his comeback from his second knee reconstruction in three years.

"It was great to be back after so long out of the game," he said, after playing in front of North Harbour Stadium's second successive crowd of 17,000-plus for a Vodafone Warriors trial.

"The knee came through the game without any trouble all."

It was a huge boost for Tate and for the Vodafone Warriors as they emerged from their trials programme unbeaten ahead of their season-opening clash against the Gold Coast Titans in Robina on March 14.

Also back on the field after missing last week's trial win against North Queensland was fullback Wade McKinnon, who replaced the starting fullback Lance Hohaia at halftime.

Winger Kevin Locke was replaced just before the break after a knock to his back but there were no concerns about his condition after the game.

Coach Ivan Cleary again found plenty to be pleased about.

"We have lots of areas we can improve in but we again defended very well in the second half, we got through with no new injury concerns and we have a lot of players who are putting their hand up and are playing good football at this stage," he said.

"It's going to be a difficult task picking the side for the first match against the Titans."

While there was constant activity on the interchange bench the intensity on the field belied the fact this was a trial.

For much of the second half the Vodafone Warriors had to defend their line as Manly, after leading 16-10 at halftime, kept rolling at them from close range. Every time, though, the home side defused whatever the Sea Eagles threw at them ensuring they, like the Sydney Roosters and North Queensland in the previous trials, failed to score in the second 40 minutes.

The work was rewarded in the end when in the 76th minute some slick short passing near Manly's line created space for new signing Jeremy Latimore to score between the posts, Shaun Johnson converting for the draw.

Earlier Manly scored first through burly prop George Rose bashing over close to the line before a Brett Seymour bomb to the left was claimed expertly by winger Manu Vatuvei.

Having his first trial of the year, he beat his opposite David Williams in the air and squeezed in for a try wide out.

Tries were exchanged between Manly winger Michael Robertson and Vodafone Warriors centre Joel Moon, Moon's a smart solo effort as he beat several Manly defenders. That made it 10-10 before Robertson scored again, this time from a bomb, to give his side a 16-10 lead.

By then Manly had lost new signing and former Kiwi Joe Galuvao, who was knocked out after a fearsome clash as he tried to tackle Vodafone Warriors prop Russell Packer. The game had to be held up for several minutes before Galuvao left the field in a medicab. He was being further assessed tonight.

Earlier in the day the Vodafone Junior Warriors also staged a comeback, this time for victory as they scored late to beat the Auckland Vulcans 32-30.

Match details:

At North Harbour Stadium, Albany

Vodafone Warriors 16 (Manu Vatuvei, Joel Moon, Jeremy Latimore tries; Brett Seymour conversion; Shaun Johnson conversion).

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 16 (Michael Robertson 2, George Rose tries; Jamie Lyon 2 conversions).

Halftime: 16-10 Sea Eagles.

Referees: Jared Maxwell and Gerard Sutton.

Crowd: 17,362.