Ultimate Guide: Warriors confirm team

The nib Newcastle Knights will be chasing a vital two points when they face the Warriors this Saturday at McDonald Jones Stadium.

The Knights sit only two points outside the top eight heading into the make-or-break part of the season.

Newcastle suffered a last start loss to the Rabbitohs but have plenty of key players returning for the Warriors clash.

The New Zealand outfit went down to the Melbourne Storm last start and have quality players that can cause trouble on any given game.

This is your Ultimate Guide to the Newcastle Knights Round 15 fixture against the Warriors, brought to you by Mine Super.

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS V WARRIORS

Date: Saturday June 19, 2021

Kick-off: 3:00pm

Gates Open: 1:30pm

Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Since: 1995

Played: 44

Knights: 21

Warriors: 22

Draws: 1

TEAMS

Knights

3. Kurt Mann, 2. Dom Young, 12. Brodie Jones, 4. Enari Tuala, 5. Hymel Hunt, 6. Jake Clifford, 7. Mitchell Pearce, 8. Jacob Saifiti, 9. Jayden Brailey (c), 10. Daniel Saifiti (c), 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 13. Mitchell Barnett, 16. Sauaso Sue. Interchange: 14. Connor Watson, 15. David Klemmer, 17. Jack Johns, 18. Josh King. 18th Man: 21. Tex Hoy

Coach: Adam O'Brien

Warriors

1. Reece Walsh, 2. Marcelo Montoya, 21. Adam Pompey, 4. Euan Aitken, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Kodi Nikorima, 7. Sean O'Sullivan, 8. Addin Fonua-Blake, 9. Jazz Tevaga, 10. Ben Murdoch-Masila, 11. Bayley Sironen, 12. Tohu Harris, 13. Josh Curran. Interchange: 14. Eliesa Katoa, 15. Leeson Ah Mau, 17. Kane Evans, 22. Taniela Otukolo.

Coach: Nathan Brown

TEAM NEWS

LATE MAIL: Bunty Afoa drops off the bench for the visitors, with Taniela Otukolo coming onto the bench. There are no further changes to their team.

Meanwhile for the Knights, Kurt Mann shifts to fullback, with Tex Hoy dropping back to 18th man.

Josh King comes onto the bench, while Brodie Jones moves to centre in Mann's place.

Sauaso Sue has also been granted a starting berth at lock, with Mitch Barnett moving to the back row.

EARLIER UPDATE: Rocco Berry has been ruled out for the Warriors, with Adam Pompey moving into the centres.

Jack Murchie was the other player to drop out of the team at the 24 hour update.

Meanwhile, Kalyn Ponga and Mat Croker were the two Knights omitted from the team.

Tex Hoy takes Ponga's place at fullback.

EARLIER: In terrific news, Adam O'Brien is expecting to welcome Hymel Hunt, Mitchell Pearce and David Klemmer back into the side this week.

Klemmer has been named to return on the bench, while Pearce and Hunt have been named in the run-on side to face the Warriors.

Dominic Young retains his place on the wing, while Kurt Mann remains in the centres alongside Enari Tuala.

Josh King, Mat Croker and Tex Hoy make way, shifting to the reserves.

For the Warriors, Sean O'Sullivan comes into the side replacing the injured Chanel Harris-Tevita at halfback.

Boom rookie, Reece Walsh, has been named at fullback.

FORM GUIDE

The side went down 24-10 to the South Sydney Rabbitohs last start at Stadium Australia.

As a result, the Knights still sit in 14th spot but only remain a win outside of the eight.

A victory will go a long way for the red and blue for their top eight hopes with 10 games remaining in the season.

The Warriors have won one of their last five and were defeated 42-16 by the Melbourne Storm in Round 14.

Earlier in the season, an inspired Bradman Best performance got Newcastle over the line in their Round 2 victory over the New Zealand outfit.

BEANIE FOR BRAIN CANCER ROUND

Round 15 will serve as Beanie for Brain Cancer Round in raising awareness and funds for brain cancer research, supported by the Mark Hughes Foundation.

Long-serving Knights player and premiership winner, Mark Hughes, was diagnosed with brain cancer back in 2013.

After his diagnosis, Hughes and his wife Kirralee formed the foundation which has gone onto raise millions of dollars towards research upon the disease.

Don your beanies for this weekend and support a brilliant a cause or buy a beanie HERE.

KEY MATCH-UP

Daniel Saifiti v Addin Fonua-Blake

A huge battle will take place in the middle between two of the game's leading front-row enforcers.

Saifiti has averaged 148 running metres this season and is fresh off a monumental performance in the Origin arena.

Fonua-Blake returned to the Warriors line-up last round after a lengthy injury lay-off.

The Tongan international has averaged 128 running metres in five games this season which includes 12 tackle breaks.

STAT ATTACK

Hymel Hunt has scored three tries against the Warriors in the past three games and will return from injury in the Round 15 fixture.

The Knights defence will be tasked with stopping the running game of Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who has made the most amount of runs in the NRL for the second most amount of run metres.

Jayden Brailey sits second for the most amount of tackles in the NRL with 695.

Both teams have conceded on average 26 points this season.

Newcastle have won two out of the last three games at McDonald Jones Stadium against the Warriors including a 20-0 victory at the start of last season.

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