Warriors v Dolphins
Kickoff 8pm Friday, 1 August
Go Media Stadium, Auckland
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
The Warriors have already beaten their rivals once this season at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.
History
In the three years since the Dolphins entered the NRL, the Warriors have compiled a 3-2 winning record against the club that hosted their stay at Redcliffe during the Covid pandemic.
For the first two years, those results went the ways of the home teams, but the Warriors broke that string, when they accounted for their rivals 16-12 at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium in May.
On that occasion, the visitors led 16-0 with 10 minutes to go, but conceded two late tries and ultimately held on short-handed, after co-captain James Fisher-Harris was sin-binned.
The Warriors' biggest win was 30-8 in their 2023 first encounter, when Shaun Johnson scored 18 points - two tries and five conversions - while the Dolphins prevailed 34-10 in the return game that season.
Halves Te Maire Martin and Isaiya Katoa will square off in Warriors v Dolphins. Photo: Photosport
Halves Te Maire Martin and Isaiya Katoa will square off in Warriors v Dolphins.
Form
The Warriors currently sit fourth on the NRL table with 12 wins and six losses, but seem to have hit the wall, with the playoffs in sight.
Two weeks ago, they needed a last-gasp miracle try from teenage second-rower Leka Halasima to edge Newcastle Knights, who are currently tied for last in the competition, and then lost to Gold Coast Titans, who are also on the same points as cellar dwellers South Sydney.
They have struggled for any kind of points-differential traction all season - it reached a high of just 36 after the Knights win, but is now at 28.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins have been erratic all season, with big wins over contenders Penrith Panthers, Melbourne Storm and Canterbury Bulldogs, but defeats to the Rabbitohs, Knights (twice) and Wests Tigers among those scrambling to avoid the wooden spoon.
They're coming off their third bye of the season - they are 1-1 after their previous two. They lost 24-12 to Cronulla Sharks three weeks ago, but subsequently beat North Queensland Cowboys 43-24.
The Dolphins currently sit eighth on the table, with the same points as ninth-placed Manly Sea Eagles and two ahead of Sydney Roosters. Only competition leaders Canberra Raiders and third-placed Melbourne have scored more points this season, and only the Storm have a better points differential.
Teams
Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Adam Pompey, 4 Kurt Capewell, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Te Maire Martin, 7. Tanah Boyd, 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 9. Sam Healey, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Leka Halasima, 12. Marata Niukore, 13. Erin Clark
Interchange: 14. Taine Tuaupiki, 15. Jacob Laban, 16. Freddy Lussick, 20. Bunty Afoa
Reserves: 18. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, 21, Ed Kosi
Coach Andrew Webster was forced into change through injuries to co-captain James Fisher-Harris, five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita and hooker Wayde Egan - three core members of his team. Twenty-four hours out from kickoff, he had to make another, with Demitric Vaimauga - who had been promoted into the starting front row for Fisher-Harris - also withdrawing.
Tanner Stowers-Smith gets the start at prop now, Te Maire Martin will partner Tanah Boyd in the halves and Sam Healey deputises for Egan for the second time this season.
Tanner Stowers-Smith is a late inclusion in the starting line-up. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Despite the Warriors's rusty form, Webster made no changes on form and chose to keep stand-in captain Kurt Capewell at centre, rather than return him to the pack in Vaimauga's absence.
Dolphins: 1. Hamiso Tabui-Fidow, 2. Jamayne Isaako, 3. Max Feagai, 4. Herbie Farnworth, 5. Jake Averillo, 6. Kodi Nikorima, 7. Isaiya Katoa, 8. Francis Molo, 9. Jeremy Marshall-King, 10. Felise Kaufusi, 11. Connelly Lemuelu, 12. Oryn Keeley, 13. Kurt Donoghue
Interchange: 14. Ray Stone, 15. Aublix Tawha, 16. Mark Nicholls, 17. Josh Kerr
Reserves: 18. Harrison Graham, 20. LJ Nonu
Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf gets former Warrior half Kodi Nikorima back from a hamstring injury, along with veteran prop Felise Kaufusi and bench forward Mark Nicholls. Jake Averillo stepped in for Nikorima against the Cowboys, but will now return to wing.
Prop Francis Molo will make his 150th NRL appearance, after previous stints with Brisbane Broncos, North Queensland and St George Illawarra Dragons.
Player to watch
Fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is one of the most dangerous attacking weapons in the NRL and is the competition's leading tryscorer with 17 from 15 appearances, but has only scored one in four previous games for the Dolphins against the Warriors.
Kiwi to watch
Winger Jamayne Isaako leads the competition in scoring, with nine tries among his 212 total points. He also leads in goals kicked (88) and has an 87 percent success rate for conversions.
What will happen
Warriors desperately need to restore some momentum to their season, but hard to see them overcoming this many injuries.
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