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New Zealand Warriors vs Newcastle Knights: NRL highlights, live scores, blog

10th August, 2018
When: 6pm (AEST)
Where: Mt Smart Stadium
TV: Live, Fox League
Betting: Warriors $1.38, Knights $3.05
Overall meetings: Played 38; Warriors 19 wins, Knights 18 wins, 1 draw
Last meeting: Knights won 26-10 at McDonald Jones Stadium in round 22, 2017
Referees: Matt Cecchin, Alan Shortall

Warriors
1. Roger Tuivasa-sheck 2. David Fusitua 3. Gerard Beale 4. Solomone Kata 5. Ken Maumalo 6. Blake Green 7. Shaun Johnson 8. James Gavet 9. Issac Luke 10. Agnatius Paasi 11. Isaiah Papalii 12. Adam Blair 13. Simon Mannering
Interchange: 14. Jazz Tevaga 15. Leivaha Pulu 16. Bunty Afoa 17. Peta Hiku 18. Anthony Gelling 20. Joseph Vuna 21. Chris Satae 22. Karl Lawton (four to be omitted)

Knights
1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Ken Sio 3. Sione Mata'utia 4. Cory Denniss 5. Shaun Kenny-dowall 6. Jack Cogger 7. Mitchell Pearce 8. Herman Ese'ese 9. Danny Levi 10. Daniel Saifiti 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 12. Mitchell Barnett 13. Aidan Guerra
Interchange: 14. Jamie Buhrer 15. Chris Heighington 16. Pasami Saulo 17. Jj Felise 18. Nicholas Meaney 19. Josh King 20. Brock Lamb 21. Luke Yates (four to be omitted)
Issac Luke of the Warriors. (AAP Image/David Rowland)
Roar Guru
10th August, 2018
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The New Zealand Warriors will look to entrench themselves within the top eight when they host the Newcastle Knights at Mt Smart Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 6pm (AEST).

Only a fortnight ago, the Warriors looked destined to freefall out of finals contention after they were thumped 36-12 by the Gold Coast Titans.

Now, after upsetting the Dragons 18-12 last week, Stephen Kearney’s men are once again sitting four points ahead of the ninth-placed Wests Tigers.

The Warriors are just too predictable – in the sense that they will always be unpredictable.

Since winning five-straight games to open their 2018 campaign, the club have only claimed back-to-back wins once – over the lowly Sea Eagles and Cowboys.

Last week’s six-point win over the Dragons, however, was pleasing in terms of their resilience in defence.

Home advantage will be key here, as the Warriors have won 11 of their past 12 games against the Knights at Mt Smart, and a victory will all but ensure they will feature in September footy.

As for the Knights, they are sweating on the fitness of star halfback Mitchell Pearce, having only won two of nine games played without the former Rooster.

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If Pearce is ruled out late, all responsibility in attack will fall onto young gun Kayln Ponga. While he is certainly talented, Newcastle fans can’t expect the youngster to do it all on his own.

With games against the Panthers, Sharks and Dragons to follow, the Knights are a genuine chance of heading into next year off the back of six-straight defeats, which would be a disappointing end to a season that promised so much.

Prediction
The Warriors will cruise to a comfortable win.

Warriors by 16.

Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting at 6pm (AEST).

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