Ultimate Guide: Warriors name team for Friday

Author: Newcastle Knights
Timestamp: Tue 16 Mar 2021, 03:56 PM

The nib Newcastle Knights will travel down the M1 this Friday for their first away game of the season against the Warriors.

Both coaches have named their sides for the fixture at Central Coast Stadium which will kick off at 6:00pm.

Kurt Mann has been ruled out of the clash with a knee complaint, with Phoenix Crossland taking his place at five-eighth.

The Knights were ultra impressive in their dominant 32-16 opening round victory against the Bulldogs while the Warriors also achieved the two points with a win against the Titans.

Here is your Ultimate Guide to the Knights Round 2 clash with the Warriors brought to you by Mine Super.

WARRIORS V NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS

Date: Friday, March 19

Kick-off: 6:00pm

Gates: 5pm

Venue: Central Coast Stadium, Gosford

NOTE: The NSW Cup clash between the Knights and Newtown has been postponed. Click here for details.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Since: 1995

Played: 43

Warriors: 22

Knights: 20

Drawn: 1

TEAMS

Warriors

1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (C), 2. David Fusitu'a, 3. Adam Pompey, 4. Peta Hiku, 5. Ken Maumalo, 6. Kodi Nikorima, 7. Chanel Harris-Tevita, 8. Addin Fonua-Blake, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, 11. Eliesa Katoa, 12. Bayley Sironen, 13. Tohu Harris. Interchange: 14. Jazz Tevaga, 15. Ben Murdoch-Masila, 16. Leeson Ah Mau, 17. Bunty Afoa.

Knights

1. Tex Hoy, 2. Starford Toa, 3. Enari Tuala, 4. Bradman Best, 5. Hymel Hunt, 18. Phoenix Crossland, 7. Mitchell Pearce, 8. David Klemmer, 9. Jayden Brailey (C), 10. Daniel Saifiti (C), 11. Tyson Frizell, 12. Mitch Barnett, 14. Sauaso Sue. Interchange: 13. Connor Watson, 15. Jacob Saifiti, 16. Josh King, 17. Brodie Jones.

Big Moments in High Vis

TEAM NEWS

Newcastle Knights coach Adam O'Brien has only made the one change to his line-up from the Bulldogs win.

Connor Watson has come back into the starting 13 and will line-up at lock.

After two huge performances, Daniel Saifiti and Jayden Brailey will co-captain the red and blue for the second-game straight.

Former Knights coach Nathan Brown will face his old side for the first time and has also only made the one change from the Warriors' first game.

Centre and off-season recruit Euan Aitken has been ruled out for the Warriors after suffering a high-ankle sprain with Adam Pompey to replace him.

WINNING STARTS

Every team aims to begin the season on the right foot, and both outfits did exactly that last weekend.

The Knights and the Warriors earned opening victories in the first round of the 2021 season.

Newcastle finished strongly against Canterbury to win 32-16 while the Warriors defeated Gold Coast with a 19-6 victory.

Daniel Saifiti will look to continue his opening round form after bagging two tries and carried the ball for 174 metres to earn all three Dally M points.

The Knights will have to be wary of Warriors five-eight Kodi Nikorima who scored 10 points in his side's win and also claimed the three Dally M points.

BATTLE IN THE MIDDLE

Fans can expect a colossal battle as both teams boast strong forward packs who will be tussling to gain the advantage and momentum through the middle.

Along with huge performances from Saifiti and Brailey, Tyson Frizell impressed on his Knights debut making 180 running metres while second-row partner Mitch Barnett ran for a similar amount of metres and scored 16 points.

David Klemmer will be aiming for another big game after tallying over 200 running metres in the win having played for 73 minutes straight.

The Knights will come up against a fierce Warriors pack led by new recruit Addin Fonua-Blake.

Fonua-Blake arrived from Manly in the off-season and played a huge role in the Warriors win against the Titans having also ran for over 200 metres and made four offloads.

Hunt: Building combinations and Warriors challenge

RECORD ON THE COAST

Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Warriors made a huge sacrifice to keep the competition going in 2020 by relocating to the Central Coast and have done so again for the 2021 season.

The team almost made the finals in 2020 and have a decent record at their home away from home at Central Coast Stadium, winning 7 out of the 11 games they have played at the venue.

The Knights have an inferior record when travelling down to the Coast to play with only a 41% win record at the venue although enjoyed its most recent visit which was a 27-6 victory against the Broncos in Round 6 last season.

Both teams also traded victories against each other last season.

The Knights took the win with a 20-0 victory in Round 1 before the Warriors responded in Round 16 with a 36-6 victory.