Brushing off last week’s 32-6 defeat to the Penrith Panthers, the One NZ Warriors are straight into preparations against a resurgent Newcastle Knights club for their first home playoff game in years.
Because of missing out on a one-week breather they would have had, had they defeated the Panthers, the longer, harder road to the grand final begins.
Coach Andrew Webster’s squad this Saturday includes star halfback Shaun Johnson, who returns after missing last week due to a calf injury - something Warriors fans everywhere would rejoice in.
More good news is that skipper Tohu Harris escaped a dangerous tackle on Panthers centre Luke Garner with only a $1000 fine from the NRL judiciary, selected to play Saturday.
Johnson’s replacement last week, Dylan Walker, shifts to the bench with an otherwise unchanged squad from last week. Alongside on the bench are Jazz Tevaga, Bayley Sironen and Josh Curran.
The do-or-die battle will be in front of another sold-out crowd at Mt. Smart Stadium of more than 25,000, who will no doubt bring energy and more in a movement that has swept the entire country and across the ditch in places.
The Knights have proven a force to be reckoned with, coming from outside the top eight a few weeks before the regular season was over to finish fifth overall. They too had quite a battle against the Canberra Raiders on Sunday, defending a late comeback and holding strong to win 30-28 at home.
This season alone, both teams are one apiece against each other, the Warriors winning their Wellington season opener in March while the Knights bested them in April.
But, whether it’s ‘Go the Warriors’, ‘Let’s gone, Warriors’, ‘Up the Wahs’, win or lose, the Warriors have indeed made 2023 their year.
It’s all a go this Saturday, live on Sky Sport, kicking off at 6:05 pm.
