It's a reunion Newcastle prop Evarn Tuimavave has been relishing, even if the occasion will be tinged with sadness.

Tuimavave had expected to run into his old Warriors teammates on his new home ground at Newcastle last June until a ruptured Achilles curtailed his NRL season at the Knights a month before.

Instead, Wingham Park in Greymouth on the west coast of NZ's South Island serves as the unexpected - and sombre location - on Saturday when both clubs play a trial match to boost the Pike River mining disaster relief fund.

It has been a frustrating wait for Tuimavave even if the 27-year-old has become accustomed to biding his time due to injuries.

The Warriors junior, who made his first grade debut in 2002, ended the 2008 campaign on 99 appearances - a chronic neck injury and then a strained knee meant he did not record triple figures until round 19 at Penrith the following year.

Those neck and knee issues effectively ended his eight-year career at the Warriors, but fortunately for him Newcastle was keen to bolster their front-row stocks so a relieved Tuimavave relocated to one of the NRL's heartlands.

The career move was going to plan until round 10 against the Sydney Roosters when he leapt for a pass and landed awkwardly.

"Once I landed and was ready to take off the guys were already there to tackle me and it (the Achilles) just snapped," he said.

"I gave it to the dummy-half after my surgery, told him to stop throwing shit balls."

Tuimavave's accepted there was a "freakish" element to the injury but was understandably annoyed after being denied the opportunity to make a lasting impression at his new club.

"It was my first year in Australia and I was going pretty good so it was a shock," he said.

"It was a bit sore to start with but I'm fine now and back in full training," said Tuimavave."

Tuimavave also appreciates the relevance of Newcastle - a blue collar town with a rich mining heritage - going across the Tasman to help honour the memory of the 29 men killed by the explosion in November.

"We come from a mining town so I think it hit a few people close to home just how risky their jobs can be sometimes," he said.

"If we can put a smile on some faces that that'll be good."

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