By PETE HAYES

KEVIN Walters' departure means that Lee Briers is handed back the No. 6 shirt for Sunday's Super League home-opener against Hull FC.

It also means that Lee Penny, dropped for the Villeneuve game, will return to full back.

Injured prop Martin Masella has been given a 60-40 chance in favour of recovering in time to make the squad by coach Darryl Van de Velde. The remainder of the team will stay unchanged from the one which defeated Villeneuve except for some shuffling of the forwards, with Steve McCurrie possibly starting in the second row.

Although it is a set-back, specially to players such as Allan Langer who was so looking forward to teaming up with Walters, it does mean that Penny and Briers will be out to prove a point.

Van de Velde said: "We'll pick ourselves up and we'll be ready for the game on Sunday despite what's happened.

"The two Lees will be chomping at the bit to make those positions their own."

Hull will come to Wilderspool as favourites after winning their opening Super League game 30-20 against London Broncos and then coming within a whisker of knocking the impressive Leeds Rhinos out of the Challenge Cup on Saturday.

Van de Velde said: "They were unfortunate not to beat Leeds. I think their finishing let them down.

"But Jason Smith is a fantastic player and we will have to watch him closely."

Close-season signing Smith from Parramatta may move from loose forward to stand off if Paul Cooke does not recover from a hand injury. This would mean David Maiden moving up to loose forward.

Hull coach Shaun McRae gave his thoughts on Warrington losing Walters.

He said: "It is a shame as I thought he would contribute a lot of experience to Warrington.

"But from my experience of coming over to this country from Australia it is not easy to settle at all."

However, far from being happy at the news that Walters will not be lining up opposite his side, McRae thinks the replacements are equally as worrying.

He said: "Lee Briers is an exceptional player who will be just as good at stand off and from my time with Lee Penny in the Scotland squad I learned that he is strong, talented and I was really impressed with his attitude."

McRae has also worked with another of Wolves' top performers this season before. McRae was in charge at St. Helens when Dean Busby was there and he can not rate the back rower highly enough.

He said: "Dean has always been a good player.

"His problem at Saints was that he could not put a string of games together to put pressure on for his place.

"He had a horrendous series of injuries and was tagged with the injury label. Everybody needs time on the field.

"He is a very good ball player who works extremely hard. He is now one of Warrington's key players."

McRae praised Warrington's efforts against Wigan.

He said: "It is no disgrace to go to the JJB Stadium and get beat. Warrington showed a lot of character there.

"They have plenty of experience in the likes of Langer, Andrew Gee and Alan Hunte plus they have two big centres.

"They have matured a lot from last year. Darryl has recruited well and they have a more balanced team."

McRae agreed with Van de Velde's comments about his side's weak finishing against Leeds but aired concerns over the need for Hull to prove their travelling ability.

He said: "Against Leeds we put ourselves in excellent opportunities to score but we did not maximise them and we went away from what we should have been doing.

"We did not get the rub of the green but we learned a lot from that game.

"This year we have started well and shown a lot of form but so far it has only been at the Boulevard. It remains to be seen if we can carry that form away from home."