Roar Guru
A New Zealand Warriors side typically unaffected by Origin take on the increasingly desperate Newcastle Knights in this Sunday afternoon clash at Mt Smart Stadium. Join us for score updates and debate on our live blog from 1:30pm AEST.
Following the mid-season sacking of Matthew Elliott, the Warriors are travelling nicely under new coach Andrew McFadden.
With three wins from their last four games – and only a phenomenal Josh Morris trysaver stopping them from making it four against league leaders the Bulldogs – the NZers are finally looking like living up to the hype.
Warriors fans will be viewing this as the kind of game you have to win if they want to announce themselves as legitimate title contenders in 2014.
The Knights are currently struggling, with just 2 wins from their first 10 games and well-publicised off-field dramas undoubtedly affecting the players’ mentality. Key players are out of form and their combinations have been affected by a long run of early-season injuries.
Yet this is a side that managed to reach the preliminary finals last year under coach Wayne Bennett, so discounting them would be a mistake.
With the return of Jeremy Smith, Beau Scott and Joseph Leilua, the Knights will field a full-strength side for the first time this season (assuming Beau Scott and Darius Boyd back up from Origin).
The Warriors have an injury cloud over star halfback Shaun Johnson, who has been struggling with an ankle injury, and he will be monitored right up until game time to prove his fitness.
But with the likes of Konrad Hurrell, Sam Tomkins and Manu Vatuvei in the backline – not to mention a wider-running Ben Matulino, whose shift to the second row has seen him as first tryscorer for three weeks in a row now – the Warriors still have plenty of weapons right across the park.
This will also be the 200th NRL game for Simon Mannering and his 100th as Warriors captain, which may just provide the home side with an extra boost.
I’m always wary of discounting the Knights, who have the troops to turn their season around at any time, but with all the omens – and form – in the Warriors’ favour, I’m tipping them to take this comfortably.
Warriors by 14.