Hurrell was a late call up to the Warriors side that surprisingly beat the Storm on Friday night in Melbourne. Initially, Dane Nielsen was named to play at centre against his old club and Hurrell was down to play in the reserve grade team.
Even though he is one of the best attacking weapons in the NRL and has sorted out the weight issues he went into camp with in the pre-season, the 22-year-old has had a mixed start to the year.
But while Nielsen is now out of favour, Ben Henry has jumped ahead of Hurrell in the pecking order .
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Hurrell is signed with the Warriors until 2015. It hasnt yet reached the point where Hurrell would ask for a release from his contract, but a number of clubs are on standby should he once again find himself in the reserve grade team.
While Hurrell received some reprieve on Friday, the situation is set to become more complicated in the coming weeks; the Warriors are making no secret of the fact they are after a quality centre for next year.
Hurrell must realise that its going to be even harder for him to get game time next season, even more so if Jerome Ropati is offered another contract and Ngani Laumape remains one of coach Andrew McFaddens favoured players.
The Warriors were prepared to offer Peta Hiku $1 million for a three-year contract to return to the club, but Hiku decided to remain at the Sea Eagles.
It is understood the Warriors have now set their sights on 12-Test veteran Matai.
The 29-year-old Aucklander is signed until the end of next season so he would need a release to join the Warriors, but his situation at Manly has become uncertain.
Earlier this month, Matai said there would be a player exodus at the Sea Eagles if the club didnt re-sign Glenn Stewart.
"Im sure if Glenn goes there will be a few boys reconsidering re-signing here," Matai said a few weeks ago. "We have built a culture where everybody who comes here feels comfortable and Glenn is a big part of that.
"He and his brother are like the glue that holds us all together, and if we lose either one of them players will review their contracts. We definitely want Glenn to stay.
"It has definitely affected me, not knowing whether Glenn is going to be here or not next year or the year after.
"It sort of makes you think about your contract and what you are going to do."
Stewart signed to the Rabbitohs last week.
The Warriors have chased Matai in the past and in 2010 were close to signing him on a two-year deal before he eventually decided to stay in northern Sydney.
Three other players who have been linked with the Warriors are South Sydney trio Ben Teo, Bryson Goodwin and centre Beau Champion.
