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Team Update: All set for 1-17

Kurt Capewell and Bunty Afoa have been fully cleared to return for the One New Zealand Warriors’ ninth-round NRL encounter with the Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle tomorrow (2.00pm kick-off local time; 4.00pm NZT).

Capewell (throat) and Afoa (hamstring) came through a full week’s training capped by today’s final team run in Newcastle.

Retained in the 19-man squad at the 24-hour deadline are centre Adam Pompey and fullback Taine Tuaupiki with props Zyon Maiu’u and Tanner Stowers-Smith plus winger Edwrad Kosi omitted.

After missing the Anzac Day encounter against Gold Coast following a blow to his throat in the seventh-round against the Dragons, Capewell makes his 146th appearance to restore the team’s first-choice starting pack.

Afoa has missed the last three fixtures against Manly Warringah, St George Illawarra and Gold Coast after leaving the field with a hamstring injury 25 minutes into the fifth-round win over South Sydney on April 6.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Knights is number 1 David Armstrong
    Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
  • Winger for Knights is number 2 Greg Marzhew
    Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
  • Centre for Knights is number 3 Dane Gagai
    Centre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco Berry
  • Centre for Knights is number 4 Bradman Best
    Centre for Warriors is number 4 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
  • Winger for Knights is number 5 Enari Tuala
    Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya
  • Five-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Tyson Gamble
    Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Te Maire Martin
  • Halfback for Knights is number 7 Jackson Hastings
    Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson

Forwards

  • Prop for Knights is number 10 Leo Thompson
    Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
  • Hooker for Knights is number 9 Jayden Brailey
    Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
  • Prop for Knights is number 15 Daniel Saifiti
    Prop for Warriors is number 10 Mitchell Barnett
  • 2nd Row for Knights is number 11 Dylan Lucas
    2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jackson Ford
  • 2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Kai Pearce-Paul
    2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Kurt Capewell
  • Lock for Knights is number 13 Adam Elliott
    Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu Harris

Interchange

  • Interchange for Knights is number 14 Phoenix Crossland
    Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Dylan Walker
  • Interchange for Knights is number 16 Jed Cartwright
    Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Tom Ale
  • Interchange for Knights is number 17 Brodie Jones
    Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Bunty Afoa
  • Interchange for Knights is number 19 Jack Hetherington
    Interchange for Warriors is number 18 Adam Pompey

Reserves

  • Replacement for Knights is number 21 Thomas Cant
    Replacement for Warriors is number 16 Jacob Laban

Match Officials

  • Referee: Chris Butler
  • Senior Review Official: Liam Kennedy

Last updated:

Together Capewell and Afoa provide a major injection of experience to the team with 279 NRL appearances between them.

With Capewell back, four-game rookie Jacob Laban moves back to the interchange after his first starting appearance against the Titans last week.

Afoa rejoins the interchange alongside Laban, utility Dylan Walker and front rower Tom Ale.

The match against the Knights is the first of three consecutive Sunday games in Australia for the One New Zealand Warriors with the Sydney Roosters to follow at Allianz Stadium on May 12 and then the ‘home’ game against three-time premiers the Penrith Panthers during the NRL’s Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium on May 19.

Both teams go into this week’s contest on the back of indifferent form.

The Warriors have followed their 34-4 fifth-round win over South Sydney with their 22-22 golden point draw with Manly Warringah, a 12-30 reverse against St George Illawarra and an agonising 24-27 loss to the Titans.

After beating the Dragons in round five, the Knights have lost 20-22 to the Roosters and 12-36 to Canterbury-Bankstown but beat the Dolphins 18-14 in Brisbane last Sunday.

The rivals sit one spot apart on the ladder, the Warriors 12th on seven points while the Knights are 13th on six points.

Despite their recent form, the One New Zealand Warriors are to the fore in a number of performance measures.

After eight rounds they lead all teams for most metres gained (14,964) – almost1000 metres more than the next best – most runs (1655) and most kick return metres (1806). They’re top for most kicks (186), second for total kick metres (4988), first for most decoy runs (428), third for most post-contact metres (4964), second for most line engaged runs (221), second for completion rates (82 per cent), third equal for most tackle breaks (266) and in the top four for possession (52%).

Fonua-Blake powers up against Titans

In individual statistics, Addin Fonua-Blake leads all players for most post-contact metres (601) and is third behind fullbacks Dylan Edwards and Tom Trbojevic for most metres (1538).

Shaun Johnson has the best numbers for line engaged runs (83), line break assists (9), kick metres (4637), kicks (163) and attacking kicks (88) and is second for most try assists (8).

On the milestone front, winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak his 198th career game this week leaving him in line to reach his 200th against his original club Penrith.

Acknowledgement of Country

The New Zealand Warriors honour the mana of the Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa, Australia and the Pacific. We acknowledge the traditional kaitiaki of the lands, elders past and present, their stories, their traditions, their mamae and their mana motuhake.

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