While the foreign location may be an issue, Warriors coach Ivan Cleary can at least be thankful Sunday's 'away' game against the Sydney Roosters in Christchurch isn't being played on paper.

The Warriors will attempt to right a dismal record in New Zealand away from Mt Smart Stadium that currently stands at one win from nine matches when they travel south to AMI Stadium for what will be a Roosters home game.

If the location is unusual so too is the make-up of the tri-colours line-up, with coach Brian Smith finally abandoning the experiment of playing Todd Carney at fullback, the former Canberra playmaker shifted into his preferred five-eighth position alongside NSW No.7 Mitchell Pearce.

With skipper Braith Anasta moving to lock and Anthony Minichiello back at fullback - the position from which he once claimed world player of the year honours - there is suddenly a more potent look about the Roosters structure, a fact noted by Cleary.

"There's a lot of star quality about their team, that's for sure," Cleary said.

"They're a really good team on paper, lots of good players, lots of options, a lot of threat."

Whether it can all come together on Sunday is another question, with Carney and Pearce having yet to play alongside each other in the halves despite being the primary playmakers for the side.

And just what sort of effect will it have on Anasta, who will now need to add some grunt work to his game while also lifting his work rate in defence.

If they click straight away, the Warriors - still without first-choice halfback Brett Seymour due to a fractured leg - could be in for a long afternoon.

Their only previous win at their home away from home was in 2006 against Wests Tigers but Cleary said what had happened in the past was of little consequence this weekend as he urged the Christchurch locals to get behind his side.

"Last time we played down there at AMI Stadium we won the game so that record doesn't have any bearing and it's four years since we played anywhere else," Cleary told NZPA.

"It's water under the bridge.

"I'd like to think a lot of the crowd down there will be supporting our team. I know if we play well they'll support us.

"We'll be looking to get as many people onside as we can. Personally I much prefer to play down there than go over to Sydney."

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