Co-captain Mitchell Barnett’s comeback moves closer while young halfback Luke Hanson will make his NRL debut when the One New Zealand Warriors face the Knights in Saturday’s top of the table round three clash at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle (5.00pm kick-off local time; 3.00pm NZT).
As well as Barnett’s possible return and Hanson’s maiden appearance, the match-up between the two unbeaten sides will see in-form Warriors prop Jackson Ford make his 100th career appearance.
Returning to his former club, Barnett has been included on the extended bench in jersey #23 as his eyes his first game after recovering from the knee injury that ended his 2025 campaign in the One New Zealand Warriors’ round 13 encounter with South Sydney.
Now in his fourth season with the Warriors, 22-year-old Penrith junior Hanson comes into the lineup for unavailable standoff Chanel Harris-Tavita (concussion) after starring for the club’s triple crown-winning New South Wales Cup side last year.
He has banked 37 NSW Cup appearances while he started at #6 in each of the Warriors’ Pre-season Challenge matches against Manly Warringah and the Dolphins last month.
Ford (28), the NRL’s front rower of the moment, was signed in 2023 after just 33 games for St George Illawarra across four seasons but has become a mainstay of the Warriors’ pack as he looks ahead to his 67th game for the club just three rounds into his fourth year in Auckland.
In the opening two rounds of the season he has played 144 of a possible 160 minutes – all but four against Canberra last Friday night – while averaging 186 metres a game and making a total of 65 tackles.
The quality of his performances in the wins over the Roosters (42-18) and Raiders (40-6) saw him collect the maximum six Dally M points in each game to top the leaderboard on 12 points.
As well as Harris-Tavita, the Warriors are missing fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad this week as he also follows concussion protocols while veteran second rower Kurt Capewell is sidelined with a calf injury; Harris-Tavita and Nicoll-Klokstad will be available again next week but Capewell isn’t expected to return until round six.
In Nicoll-Klokstad’s absence, Taine Tuaupiki starts at fullback with Leka Halasima again named in the second row.
Added to the interchange is Marata Niukore after turning out for the New South Wales Cup side last Friday night. Morgan Gannon and Alofi’ana Khan-Pereira are the other two players on the six-man bench.
As well as Barnett, second rower Eddie Ieremia-Toeava and halfback Jett Cleary are listed as the reserves.