Utility Chanel Harris-Tavita comes 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 today (6.05pm kick-off).
It’s the third week running the 24-year-old has been elevated, being used for eight minutes against the Storm in round two and 12 minutes against the Raiders last week.
With the experienced Wayde Egan cleared to return after missing the last two games, Harris-Tavita moves onto the bench in place of back-up hooker Freddy Lussick.
Last night Jazz Tevaga was brought in to replace utility Dylan Walker who was named on Tuesday but, for the second week running, was ruled out with an ankle injury.
The 28-year-old Tevaga will make his 121st appearance today joining Harris-Tavita 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.
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
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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:
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.
As well as the experienced Walker, the other two players omitted from the extended squad 24 hours out from kick-off were 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.
