Confirmed Lineup: CHT added
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.
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.
