Warriors skipper Steve Price has been cleared for his NRL comeback on Sunday after overcoming a serious throat injury that could have been fatal.

Price said on Thursday that a specialist had confirmed his availability to face the Sydney Roosters in Auckland after copping an accidental blow to his throat against Manly in round two.

He played the following weekend in the defeat to Brisbane, but was stood down for the subsequent losses to South Sydney and Newcastle.

It was only after Price faced the Broncos that the extent of his injury was made clear and a specialist told him that another blow to the throat could have totally blocked his airway and threatened his life.

Price, 35, said the specialist told him that the injury had improved to the point that there was no risk in his return to action.

"Accidental shoulders and elbows and that sort of thing happen all the time and that was a reason I wasn't playing," he said.

"But now the specialist is completely happy and, even if I did get a knock, that's absolutely fine. It's pretty much the same as it was before."

Price said it was tough sitting on the sidelines as the Warriors lost both games and now sit on a three-game losing streak.

"It's frustrating sitting out, no matter what the result is on the field," he said.

"I hate missing footy games and I've just felt helpless over the last couple of weeks. It impacts even more when you lose. You wonder what you might have been able to do."

Price's comeback, as well as that of giant winger Manu Vatuvei, who has been out for three matches because of knee ligament trouble, is a major boost to the Warriors.

Rated as serious title contenders before the start of the season, the Warriors began in positive fashion, with back-to-back wins over Parramatta and Manly.

But three defeats on the trot, the last a 24-22 loss at Newcastle after a late rally couldn't quite get them over the line, have dropped then down to ninth.

Price believed minor rather than major improvements were needed to turn around the team's fortunes.

He said the defensive effort had lifted in recent weeks and it was at the attack end where the Warriors could do better.

"We've been dropping a bit of ball, which is putting pressure on us to defend a bit," he said.

"Last week we did a lot of defending and we were able to come home really strongly.

"If we can hang on to the ball a bit better, we'll be able to come up with some real good options to put the opposition under pressure."

While Price and Vatuvei are back, injuries continue to be a constraint for coach Ivan Cleary.

Among the frontliners, utility Lance Hohaia is still out with a knee problem, while fullback Wade McKinnon joined the casualty ward after loss to the Knights with a hamstring complaint.

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