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One New Zealand Warriors head coach Ron Griffiths is set to use the same side for the third week running in Sunday’s round three NRLW encounter with the Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle (6.15pm kick-off local time; 8.15pm NZT).

On Tuesday he named the same lineup used in the season-opening loss to the Sydney Roosters and last Sunday’s 14-0 shutout against the Eels.

At the 24-hour deadline ahead of kick-off, the same 17 remained with forward Makayla Eli in line to again be the 18th player while hooker Avery-Rose Carmont is the 19th player.

Omitted from the extended bench are prop Ivana Lauitiiti, utility back Tyra Wetere and front rower Metanoia Fotu-Moala.

The match is a homecoming for Griffiths as he faces the club he guided to back-to-back NRLW premierships in 2022 and 2023.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Knights is number 1 Botille Vette-Welsh
    Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Apii Nicholls
  • Winger for Knights is number 2 Sheridan Gallagher
    Winger for Warriors is number 2 Michaela Brake
  • Centre for Knights is number 3 Shanice Parker
    Centre for Warriors is number 3 Tysha Ikenasio
  • Centre for Knights is number 4 Tenika Willison
    Centre for Warriors is number 4 Emmanita Paki
  • Winger for Knights is number 5 Tess Staines
    Winger for Warriors is number 5 Payton Takimoana
  • Five-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Georgia Roche
    Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Patricia Maliepo
  • Halfback for Knights is number 7 Jesse Southwell
    Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Emily Curtain

Forwards

  • Prop for Knights is number 8 Tayla Predebon
    Prop for Warriors is number 8 Harata Butler
  • Hooker for Knights is number 9 Olivia Higgins
    Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Capri Paekau
  • Prop for Knights is number 10 Tiana Davison
    Prop for Warriors is number 10 Lavinia Kitai
  • 2nd Row for Knights is number 11 Evah McEwen
    2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Shakira Baker
  • 2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Yasmin Clydsdale
    2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Kaiyah Atai
  • Lock for Knights is number 13 Kayla Romaniuk
    Lock for Warriors is number 13 Laishon Albert-Jones

Interchange

  • Interchange for Knights is number 14 Jules Kirkpatrick
    Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Lydia Turua-Quedley
  • Interchange for Knights is number 15 Simone Karpani
    Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Maarire Puketapu
  • Interchange for Knights is number 16 Sienna Yeo
    Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Ashlee Matapo
  • Interchange for Knights is number 17 Grace Kukutai
    Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Matekino Gray

Reserves

  • Replacement for Knights is number 18 Viena Tinao
    Replacement for Warriors is number 18 Makayla Eli

Match Officials

  • Referee: Kasey Badger
  • Senior Review Official: Gerard Sutton

Last updated:

Loose forward Laishon Albert-Jones was in the Knights’ 2023 grand final side while centre Emmanita Paki was in the lineup for the 2022 premiership victory.

The Warriors take on a Newcastle side which has started its campaign in similar fashion with a first-up 12-26 loss to the Bulldogs followed by a 26-6 victory over the Cowboys in round two.

Amid the celebrations following the Warriors’ historic 14-0 shutout of the Eels on Sunday Griffiths was already excited about returning to Newcastle.

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NRLW Highlights: Making history with first win at home

“What a day, what a day,” he said in the post-match media conference.

“I love my home town. I was fortunate enough to be part of some special moments there. I’m really looking forward to getting back.

“I know, second to the Warriors, Newcastle’s support is sensational. Everyone will get behind the game. It’s a rugby league, blue-collar, working-class town but we know we’re going there to do a job.”

After losing 6-30 to last year’s premiers the Roosters, the One New Zealand Warriors underlined the benefit of their first run as a team – and the first game of rugby league for a number of the players – with a much-improved performance against the Eels.

Parramatta had come into the contest on the back of an 18-16 win over the Sharks but were immediately rocked as the Warriors struck with two slick tries in the opening five minutes, first through Michaela Brake on the right and then Payton Takimoana on the left.

For almost an hour they had to call on their defensive resilience to protect their lead.

Tysha Ikenasio’s try 14 minutes from fulltime gave them a buffer before they drew on their fighting mettle again to become the first Warriors side to register a clean sheet in the NRLW.

That they did so despite Parramatta benefiting from a lopsided 8-1 penalty count made the feat all the more impressive.

While the Warriors had a number of standout performers none were better than captain Apii Nicholls who mixed her work with the ball and her positional play with outstanding defensive work highlighted by her thumping shot on Eels fullback Abbi Church (which has been voted the NRLW tackle of the week).

Nicholls’ all-round display earned her a maximum six points in the NRLW Dally M Medal race.

The Warriors also picked up the NRLW try of the week with Brake’s effort, her first in just her second-ever rugby league match. The Black Ferns sevens star had game high numbers for most metres (243) and post-contact metres (59) plus an astounding 16 tackle breaks to equal the competition record for most in a match.

For the second week running the Warriors’ NRL and NRLW sides are both playing at the same venue only the NRL fixture between the two clubs kicks off first at 4.05pm local time (6.05pm NZT) followed by the NRLW contest.