Team List: Injured trio back to face Knights
The One New Zealand Warriors have named their strongest side of the season so far with frontline players Dylan Walker, Marata Niukore and Wayde Egan all set to return from injury for Sunday’s fourth-round NRL clash against Newcastle at Go Media Stadium (6.05pm kick-off).
Utility Walker is back on the interchange after missing the 18-10 win over Canberra with an ankle complaint while hooker Egan is set for his second appearance of the season after being forced out of the last two matches with an elbow injury picked up in round one.
Niukore’s only outing this year was the second Preseason Challenge match against the Dolphins on February 24 in which he suffered a minor foot fracture, keeping him out of the first three rounds.
He has been brought onto the bench alongside Walker, hooker Freddy Lussick and prop Bunty Afoa as the One New Zealand Warriors seek their second win of the campaign.
With Egan, Niukore and Walker included in the playing 17, middle forwards Tom Ale and Jazz Tevaga plus utility Chanel Harris-Tavita move onto the extended bench.
Match: Warriors v Knights
Round 4 -
home Team
Warriors
away Team
Knights
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Roger Tuivasa-SheckFullback for Knights is number 1 Kalyn Ponga
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Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-ZelezniakWinger for Knights is number 2 Thomas Jenkins
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Centre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco BerryCentre for Knights is number 4 Bradman Best
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam PompeyCentre for Knights is number 18 Dylan Lucas
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo MontoyaWinger for Knights is number 5 Enari Tuala
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke MetcalfFive-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Tyson Gamble
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Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun JohnsonHalfback for Knights is number 7 Jack Cogger
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-BlakeProp for Knights is number 8 Jacob Saifiti
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Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde EganHooker for Knights is number 9 Phoenix Crossland
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell BarnettProp for Knights is number 10 Daniel Saifiti
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford2nd Row for Knights is number 11 Tyson Frizell
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Kurt Capewell2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Kai Pearce-Paul
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Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu HarrisLock for Knights is number 13 Adam Elliott
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Marata NiukoreInterchange for Knights is number 14 Jayden Brailey
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Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Bunty AfoaInterchange for Knights is number 15 Mat Croker
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Interchange for Warriors is number 20 Jazz TevagaInterchange for Knights is number 16 Jack Hetherington
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Interchange for Warriors is number 21 Chanel Harris-TavitaInterchange for Knights is number 17 Brodie Jones
Reserves
-
Replacement for Warriors is number 14 Freddy LussickReplacement for Knights is number 19 Jed Cartwright
Match Officials
- Referee: Peter Gough
- Touch Judge: Jon Stone
- Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Last updated:
The return of the experienced trio means fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is the only first-choice player yet to come back into the lineup; it’s anticipated he’ll be fit for his first game of the season when the Warriors face South Sydney at Accor Stadium on April 6.
There are two other changes to the starting combination brought about by fullback Taine Tuaupiki’s unavailability (concussion). In his absence Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is named to start at fullback with the Adam Pompey coming into the centres for his first game of the season after playing every minute of the club’s 27 games last year.
After his match-sealing try against the Raiders, Tuivasa-Sheck is named to start at fullback for the first time since the One New Zealand Warriors’ excruciating 18-19 golden point loss to St George Illawarra at Central Coast Stadium on July 2, 2021.
Match Moments: RTS opens account with a stunner
Sunday’s match will move him within one game of his 200th career appearance, set to be achieved in the fifth-round clash against the Rabbitohs.
The One New Zealand Warriors go into Sunday’s contest not only bolstered by their three reinforcements returning but also by their first victory of the season in a grafting 18-10 success against the Raiders last Friday night.
The Knights’ confidence has also been boosted after holding out Melbourne 14-12 for their first win of the year on Sunday.
This will be the 50th meeting between the two sides with the record dead even at 24 wins each plus a draw. At home the Warriors have a 16-11 record with an 18-18 draw in 2000.
