Peta Hiku

Warriors football general manager Brian Smith is strongly considering promoting a young half already on the Kiwi outfit's books or converting the versatile back Peta Hiku to partner Blake Green in 2019.

That would leave more than $1 million of salary-cap money to spend elsewhere, with the pack a prime target for improvement.

Smith told stuff.co.nz that Johnson's departure to a three-year deal with Cronulla handed Warriors management a chance to dissect the state of their roster.

He said they weren't pursuing any halves elsewhere in the NRL.

Centre has long been a problem position for the Auckland club, particularly finding one who could be relied upon defensively.

Not since Brent Tate left the club in 2012 has there been genuine stability on the right edge.

But ask Shaun Johnson and he'll tell you that void has finally been filled by Hiku, a Warriors junior who rejoined the club this season after five seasons in the NRL with Manly and Penrith and a brief stint in England.

"Collectively that right edge have done an awesome job so far this year and Peta has been a rock there for us," he said.

With Josh Mansour and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak already ruled out for the opening stages of the season, Hiku played on in Saturday's loss to St George Illawarra despite copping a huge bump to the face early.

However it was revealed to be a fracture on Monday, and club doctors have ruled him out for a month.