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Team updated: Tevaga added

Jazz Tevaga has again been brought onto the bench in a late lineup change for the One New Zealand Warriors’ fourth-round NRL encounter with the Newcastle Knights at a sold-out Go Media Stadium tomorrow (6.05pm kick-off).

In a repeat of last week’s 24-hour update before the Canberra clash, Tevaga replaces utility Dylan Walker, who was named on Tuesday but for the second week running has been ruled out with an ankle injury.

The 28-year-old Tevaga will make his 121st appearance tomorrow joining hooker Freddy Lussick and middle forwards Marata Niukore and Bunty Afoa on the interchange; Niukore will play his first match of the year after being sidelined with a foot fracture following the Preseason Challenge clash against the Dolphins on February 24.

Tevaga was impressive against the Raiders in his first NRL outing of the season. In just 34 minutes on the field he made 101 metres from 10 runs and 27 tackles with only one missed tackle.

While he has moved onto the interchange utility Chanel Harris-Tavita and centre Ali Leiataua have been retained in the 19-man game day squad.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
    Fullback for Knights is number 1 Kalyn Ponga
  • Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
    Winger for Knights is number 2 Thomas Jenkins
  • Centre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco Berry
    Centre for Knights is number 4 Bradman Best
  • Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey
    Centre for Knights is number 18 Dylan Lucas
  • Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya
    Winger for Knights is number 5 Enari Tuala
  • Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke Metcalf
    Five-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Tyson Gamble
  • Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson
    Halfback for Knights is number 7 Jack Cogger

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 Daniel Saifiti
  • 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 Kurt Capewell
    2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Kai Pearce-Paul
  • Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu Harris
    Lock for Knights is number 13 Adam Elliott

Interchange

  • Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Marata Niukore
    Interchange for Knights is number 14 Jayden Brailey
  • Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Bunty Afoa
    Interchange for Knights is number 15 Mat Croker
  • Interchange for Warriors is number 20 Jazz Tevaga
    Interchange for Knights is number 16 Jack Hetherington
  • Interchange for Warriors is number 21 Chanel Harris-Tavita
    Interchange for Knights is number 17 Brodie Jones

Reserves

  • Replacement for Warriors is number 14 Freddy Lussick
    Replacement for Knights is number 19 Jed Cartwright

Match Officials

  • Referee: Peter Gough
  • Touch Judge: Jon Stone
  • Senior Review Official: Chris Butler

Last updated:

As well as the experienced Walker, the other two players omitted from the extended squad 24 hours out from kick-off are front rower Tom Ale and halfback Te Maire Martin.

Two other changes were made 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 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.

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 tomorrow’s contest bolstered by Wayde Egan and Niukore returning as well as 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.

Acknowledgement of Country

The New Zealand Warriors honour the mana of the Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa, Australia and the Pacific. We acknowledge the traditional kaitiaki of the lands, elders past and present, their stories, their traditions, their mamae and their mana motuhake.

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