The 2022 Simon Mannering Medal winner Euan Aitken was not nominated for the RLPA Award. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

The New Zealand Warriors have confirmed a late swap for their final away clash of the season against the Penrith Panthers, with Euan Aitken pulling out due to personal reasons.

It means Aitken has now played his last away game as a Warrior, with the centre and second rower set to join Wayne Bennett and the Dolphins from the start of the 2023 season.

The move came despite Aitken having a year to run on his contract, with the Warriors granting him a release after he decided he couldn't relocate to Auckland on a permanent basis with the team when they move back for the 2023 campaign.

The club have confirmed that Aitken, who was named for the game at 4pm (AEST) yesterday, will be replaced in the starting line up by Melbourne Storm-bound Eliesa Katoa, with Ben Murdcoch-Masila joining the matchday 17 from the reserves list to play from the bench.

The combination prop and edge forward will provide the Warriors with extra versatility from the pine, while Katoa's start could be his final in Warriors' colours after he was granted a release from the final two years of his deal to join the Storm in 2023, where he will form part of the team's replacement strategy to the twin departures of Kenneath Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi.

Aitken, who began his career in 2015 with the St George Illawarra Dragons, moved to the Warriors in 2021 and has played 34 games for the club. He will look to take that tally to 35 in what will be his final home game for the club against the Gold Coast Titans in Round 25.