Newcastle wing Dom Young and Warriors halfback Tanah Boyd will face off at McDonald Jones Stadium. Photo: RNZ/Liam Swiggs
Warriors v Knights
Kickoff: 6pm Sunday, 20 July
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
History
With their home victory at Christchurch in April, NZ Warriors grabbed the historical bragging rights over Newcastle, winning 26 of their 52 previous meetings, with one draw.
The Knights enjoy a 14-8 advantage at their homeground of McDonald Jones Stadium, including a 14-8 victory there last season.
In six meetings since the Warriors returned home from their Covid exile, they hold a 4-2 edge, including a 2023 playoff win at Go Media Stadium.
Newcastle's biggest win came in the Warriors' debut season, when they prevailed 48-6 at home, while the Warriors have twice achieved the same margin in 1999 and 2007.
Form
After back-to-back defeats and a bye week, the Warriors returned to action last week with a convincing win over the hapless Wests Tigers.
Five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita had a try double and new halfback Tanah Boyd, replacing injured Luke Metcalf, enjoyed a solid debut for the Auckland club.
They are now 11-5 for the season and safely in fourth on the table, two points clear of Brisbane Broncos, who gather two points from their final bye.
At 6-11, Newcastle sit 13th, but just two points off the bottom of the table. They have lost two consecutive matches, but beat the Dolphins before that.
They just haven't been able to string together wins, since they started the campaign with wins over the Tigers and Dolphins.
A big part of that is their inability to score - their 251 points, an average of 14.7 per game, is the least in the competition by some margin.
Teams
Warriors: 1. Taine Tuaupiki, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Adam Pompey, 4. Kurt Capewell, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. James Fisher-Harris (c), 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Leka Halasima, 12. Marata Niukore, 13. Erin Clark.
Interchange: 14. Te Maire Martin, 15. Jacob Laban, 16. Demetric Vaimauga, 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith.
Extended bench: 18. Samuel Healey, 20. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
Coach Andrew Webster has the luxury of bringing back Queensland Origin hero Kurt Capewell, after he sat out last week for recovery. He slots into centre, after Rocco Berry's latest injury, and that's the only change to the team that accounted for the Tigers.
Kurt Capewell returns from Origin duty into the Warriors midfield. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Knights: 1 Dane Gagai, 2. Dominic Young, 3. Fletcher Hunt, 4. Bradman Best, 5. Greg Marzhew, 6. Jackson Hastings, 7. Jack Cogger, 8. Jacob Saifiti, 9. Jayden Brailey, 10. Leo Thompson, 11. Brodie Jones, 12. Kai Pearce-Paul, 13. Phoenix Crossland.
Interchange: 14. Tyson Gamble, 15. Mat Croker, 16. Tyson Frizell, 17. Jermaine McEwen.
Extended bench: 18. Thomas Cant, 21. Jack Hetherington
Plagued by injuries, coach Adam O'Brien has had to name captain Dane Gagai at fullback, after he moved their late last week. Tyson Frizell moves to the interchange and Brodie Jones shifts to the starting side.
Player to watch
The Knights have lost perhaps their two most potent attacking weapons in Kalyn Ponga (foot) and Fletcher Sharpe (kidney), but they have a couple of tryscoring wings in Auckland-born Greg Marzhew and English international Dom Young. If they get quality ball, look out.
Kiwi to watch
Wellington-born Phoenix Crossland made his NZ debut last year as a hooker, but his utility value has been important to Newcastle this season. He lines up at lock this week, relegating former Origin and Australia forward Tyson Frizell to the bench.
What will happen
Newcastle have been pretty poor this season and the Warriors must win games like this, if they hope to secure home advantage in the playoffs.
