Challenge on to stop Knights' 10-game winning streak

Author: NRL.com & photosport.nz
Timestamp: Sat 16 Sep 2023, 08:08 AM

The One New Zealand Warriors have to resist a Knights side riding a 10-game winning streak and Kalyn Ponga's red hot form.

A win tonight would see Newcastle equal the club record of 11 in a row, set back in 2001-02 when an Immortal named Johns was the hottest ticket in town.

After sending the Knights faithful home happy last Sunday, Adam O'Brien's men now need to find a way to win in a hostile environment in Auckland against a One New Zealand Warriors outfit that showed plenty of grit in last Saturday's loss to the Panthers.

The scoreline finished at an unflattering 32-6 but given they trailed 0-20 at half-time and had just 43 per cent of possession for the match, the Warriors could take plenty of heart from the performance.

They opened their 2023 season with a win over the Knights in Wellington before Newcastle returned serve at McDonald Jones Stadium in Round 6, so plenty of water has flowed under the bridge since those two meetings.

With a trip to Brisbane for a preliminary final against the Broncos up for grabs, an intriguing contest awaits between two clubs who have given their fans much to be proud of 2023.

The Warriors are in front of a sold-out Go Media Stadium for the sixth time in 10 games this season with support for the club at an all-time high across the nation.

Finals Week 2 - Finals Week 2 - Saturday 16 Sep

Full Time

Warriors

Knights

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad

Fullback for Knights is number 1 Kalyn Ponga
Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

Winger for Knights is number 2 Dominic Young
Centre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco Berry

Centre for Knights is number 3 Dane Gagai
Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey

Centre for Knights is number 4 Bradman Best
Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya

Winger for Knights is number 5 Greg Marzhew
Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Te Maire Martin

Five-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Tyson Gamble
Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson

Halfback for Knights is number 7 Adam Clune

Forwards

Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake

Prop for Knights is number 8 Jacob Saifiti
Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan

Hooker for Knights is number 9 Phoenix Crossland
Prop for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett

Prop for Knights is number 10 Leo Thompson
2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford

2nd Row for Knights is number 11 Tyson Frizell
2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Marata Niukore

2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Dylan Lucas
Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu Harris

Lock for Knights is number 13 Adam Elliott

Interchange

Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Dylan Walker

Interchange for Knights is number 14 Kurt Mann
Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Jazz Tevaga

Interchange for Knights is number 16 Jack Hetherington
Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Bayley Sironen

Interchange for Knights is number 17 Mat Croker
Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Josh Curran

Interchange for Knights is number 18 Brodie Jones

Reserves

Replacement for Warriors is number 20 Taine Tuaupiki

Replacement for Knights is number 20 Fa'amanu Brown

Match Officials

Referee: Adam Gee
Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
Touch Judge: Dave Munro
Senior Review Official: Grant Atkins

Last updated: 12/8/2023 1:10:37 AM

Team news

One New Zealand Warriors: Star halfback Shaun Johnson is poised to return from the calf injury that kept him out of the qualifying final loss to the Panthers. The No 7 was rested from training on Thursday before taking part in the captain's run on Friday. Dylan Walker returns to the bench and Freddy Lussick goes to 18th man. Taine Tuaupiki remained in the squad when it was trimmed to 19 on Friday.

Knights: A blow for the Knights on Friday with experienced prop Daniel Saifiti dropping out due to a hamstring injury. Brodie Jones joins the bench for his 12th game of the season. Jackson Hastings (ankle) and Lachlan Fitzgibbon (shoulder) are both out of the sudden-death clash after picking up injuries against the Raiders. Adam Clune steps in at halfback as he did in the last three games of the regular season while Dylan Lucas joins the forward pack. Adam Elliott received a monetary fine for a careless high tackle charge arising from Sunday's game and is right to take his place.

Stat attack

The Knights will be playing for a club record-equalling 11 consecutive victories at Go Media Stadium.
One New Zealand Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak requires two tries against the Knights to equal the club record for most tries in a season, held by Francis Meli (2003) and David Fusitu’a (2018) with 23.
DWZ has scored eight tries in his past six games at Go Media Stadium.
Saturday night’s semi-final will be the first finals match played between the One New Zealand Warriors and the Knights.
The Knights have won just eight of 22 matches at Go Media Stadium.
Knights wingers Dom Young and Greg Marzhew have 46 tries between them in 2023 compared to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Marcelo Montoya's combined tally of 30.
One New Zealand Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake is averaging 66 post-contact metres per game in 2023.
The One New Zealand Warriors will play their first home final since 2008.
The Warriors have won their past four games at Go Media Stadium.
The Knights have won four of their past five games against the Warriors.

Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.