Strange as it may seem, the Warriors are the shortest-priced favourites over the whole round. This is a team to avoid at all cost.
They have their new coaching team sorted, with head coach Stephen Kearney supported by, among others, club legend Stacey Jones. Reports suggest there will be a harder edge to their play this year.
But while the Kiwi side is chock full of internationals with star power, I can’t remember when they last won their first game of the season.
The Warriors are taking on the Knights, who are expected to be this season’s wooden spooners for the third season running. But Newcastle will hit the Warriors with everything they’ve got.
Young half Brock Lamb is excellent at driving a team, so he will be one to watch, Trent Hodkinson has played State of Origin, and outside these two is a backline featuring Dane Gagai and Ken Sio.
Up front, Josh Starling has come across from Manly along with Jamie Buhrer and these two will add steel and grunt to a pack also featuring a good, young, Kiwi hooker in Danny Levi.
While the Warriors have stars in Roger Tuivasa-Sheck – who debuts as captain – Sean Johnson, Issac Luke and Simon Mannering, there is still a hint of brittleness about this side, who have a history of disappearing during games.
The pack is somewhat inexperienced, with Albert Vete and Charlie Gubb starting at prop to be supported by Sam Lisone and the one-dimensional Jacob Lillyman off the bench. The Knights should be targeting these players.
Bunty Afoa has looked like a legend in the making, but Ryan Hoffman is clearly past his best.
Young Ata Hingano will have a target on his back, while Solomona Kata remains shaky in defence – Gagai could easily get his measure given good ball.
Warriors fans are firm in the belief that this is going to be their year, and the bookies have opened the team up as raging favourites for this game, so anything other than a thumping victory will be a shock.
But unless genuine changes have been made, we could witness a very familiar scenario from the consistently disappointing Warriors.
I for one hope the Kiwi side have made the changes, and am looking forward to a fast, free-flowing and high-scoring game.
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