For the fourth week running the One New Zealand Warriors will line up as selected when they face the Knights in today’s round 20 NRL match at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle (4.05pm kick-off local time; 6.05pm NZT).
Returning from his State of Origin heroics is Kurt Capewell who has been named in the centres.
The 32-year-old was left out of the Warriors’ lineups after each of his two Origin outings for Queensland missing the home games against Penrith and Wests Tigers.
With centre Rocco Berry ruled out for five to six weeks with a shoulder injury, Capewell has been listed to start in the centres, a role he has filled four times so far this season including three of his last six appearances.
His inclusion for the luckless Berry is the only change from the combination used in last Sunday’s impressive 34-14 bounce back win over the Wests Tigers following the back-to-back losses to the Panthers and the Broncos.
Match: Knights v Warriors
Round 20 -
home Team
Knights
away Team
Warriors
Team Lists
Backs
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Fullback for Knights is number 1 Dane GagaiFullback for Warriors is number 1 Taine Tuaupiki
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Winger for Knights is number 2 Dominic YoungWinger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
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Centre for Knights is number 3 Fletcher HuntCentre for Warriors is number 3 Adam Pompey
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Centre for Knights is number 4 Bradman BestCentre for Warriors is number 4 Kurt Capewell
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Winger for Knights is number 5 Greg MarzhewWinger for Warriors is number 5 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
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Five-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Jackson HastingsFive-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita
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Halfback for Knights is number 7 Jack CoggerHalfback for Warriors is number 7 Tanah Boyd
Forwards
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Prop for Knights is number 8 Jacob SaifitiProp for Warriors is number 8 James Fisher-Harris
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Hooker for Knights is number 9 Jayden BraileyHooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
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Prop for Knights is number 10 Leo ThompsonProp for Warriors is number 10 Jackson Ford
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2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Kai Pearce-Paul2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Leka Halasima
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2nd Row for Knights is number 17 Jermaine McEwen2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Marata Niukore
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Lock for Knights is number 13 Phoenix CrosslandLock for Warriors is number 13 Erin Clark
Interchange
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Interchange for Knights is number 14 Tyson GambleInterchange for Warriors is number 14 Te Maire Martin
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Interchange for Knights is number 15 Mat CrokerInterchange for Warriors is number 15 Jacob Laban
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Interchange for Knights is number 16 Tyson FrizellInterchange for Warriors is number 16 Demitric Vaimauga
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Interchange for Knights is number 18 Thomas CantInterchange for Warriors is number 17 Tanner Stowers-Smith
Reserves
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Replacement for Knights is number 21 Jack HetheringtonReplacement for Warriors is number 18 Samuel Healey
Match Officials
- Referee: Grant Atkins
- Touch Judge: Liam Kennedy
- Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
- Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Last updated:
Berry joins an injury list which includes co-captain Mitchell Barnett and halfback Luke Metcalf with season-ending knee injuries while fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad also has a knee complaint which has him sidelined until round 21.
The One New Zealand Warriors have held a spot in the top four for a total of 14 weeks this season. They first climbed to fourth after round five, dropped out for a week after round six but bounced back with their round seven victory over Brisbane and have been there for an unbroken 13 weeks.
Sunday’s clash pits them against the 13th-placed Knights who are on 16 points after five wins and 11 losses, six points off eighth spot.
They’re coming off losses to the Storm and the Panthers but boast victories over the Dolphins, Sea Eagles and Panthers in their last seven matches.
The Warriors’ success against the Tigers was highlighted by outstanding contributions from incoming halfback Tanah Boyd and fullback Taine Tuaupiki who were brought in for Metcalf and Nicoll-Klokstad.
Boyd, making his club debut as Warrior #293, was a lynchpin in the #7 jersey with his potent kicking game, direction and goal kicking. Kicking five out of six goals, he had a key hand in five of the six tries and put up 14 kicks for 400-plus metres while he also made 20 tackles with the Tigers aiming a lot of traffic his way.
Tuaupiki racked up 223 metres from 18 runs with an astonishing 11 tackles breaks, a line break, a line break assist and a try assist.
This week second rower-prop Marata Niukore plays his 149th career match while hooker Wayde Egan plays his 144th.
The Warriors’ NRL and NRLW sides play on the same day at the same venue for the second week running but with a twist; the NRL game is first (4.05pm local time) with the NRLW match following at 6.15pm local time.
