LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
In the upcoming NRLW round three clash, NZ Warriors head coach Ron Griffiths has announced an unchanged team as he returns to his hometown of Newcastle to face his former club, the Knights.
The match will take place at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday, kicking off at 6:15 PM local time (8:15 PM NZT).
The Warriors are coming off a successful homecoming win over Parramatta, while the Knights have had a mixed start to their campaign, suffering a 12-26 defeat to the Bulldogs before bouncing back with a 26-6 victory over the Cowboys.
Notably, both the Warriors' NRL and NRLW teams will play at the same venue, with the NRL match kicking off earlier at 4:05 PM local time (6:05 PM NZT).
Griffiths has a notable history with the Knights, having led them to consecutive NRLW premierships in 2022 and 2023.
Warriors loose forward Laishon Albert-Jones was part of the Knights' 2023 grand final team, while centre Emmanita Paki contributed to the 2022 premiership win.
In their recent match against Parramatta, the Warriors started strong, quickly scoring two tries within the first five minutes: the first by Michaela Brake on the right and the second by Payton Takimoana on the left.
This momentum will be crucial as they prepare to face a determined Knights side.