One of only three unbeaten teams after three rounds, the One New Zealand Warriors have been boosted by playmaker Luke Metcalf's return for his first match since his season-ending injury last June.
All eyes will be on him as he lines up in the halves in a side boasting tow of the NRL's most in-from players in his halfback partner Tanah Boyd and Jackson Ford.
Both sit in the top four in Dally M voting and will again have a huge role to play if the Warriors are to start a season 4-0 for the first time since 2018.
In two outings at Go Media Stadium this season the Warriors have piled on 82 points cashing in on the platform being laid by the forwards.
Wests Tigers arrive in Auckland on the back of a win and a loss but they face a monumental task with star halfback Jarome Luai sidelined.
If Benji Marshall's men can overcome adversity to win in enemy territory against a powerful Wahs outfit it will rank among their best wins in many years.
Match: Warriors v Wests Tigers
Round 4 -
home Team
Warriors
1st Position
away Team
Wests Tigers
5th Position
Venue: Go Media Stadium, Auckland
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
Team news
One New Zealand Warriors: A huge in for the One New Zealand Warriors with Luke Metcalf named to return early from the ACL injury he suffered in round 17 last year. Also back on deck are fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (concussion), utility Chanel Harris-Tavita (concussion) and centre Adam Pompey (family reasons) so Taine Tuaupiki drops to the reserves and Leka Halasima returns to the back row. Forward Morgan Gannon has entered the concussion protocols and will look to return in round 5. The two men to come out of the squad in Thursday's 24-hour update were Alofiana Khan-Pereira and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava.
Wests Tigers: Former Bronco Jock Madden is the new No 6 taking over from Jarome Luai (knee) while halfback Adam Doueihi has been named despite leaving the field late in Gosford with a hamstring concern. Bunty Afoa and Faaletino Tavana are the new faces on the six-man interchange. Latu Fainu is listed among the reserves as he nears a return from a shoulder reconstruction. Tony Sukkar and Patrick Herbert dropped out of the squad on Thursday.
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-KlokstadFullback for Wests Tigers is number 1 Jahream Bula
-
Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-ZelezniakWinger for Wests Tigers is number 2 Jeral Skelton
-
Centre for Warriors is number 3 Adam PompeyCentre for Wests Tigers is number 3 Sunia Turuva
-
Centre for Warriors is number 4 Ali LeiatauaCentre for Wests Tigers is number 4 Heamasi Makasini
-
Winger for Warriors is number 5 Roger Tuivasa-SheckWinger for Wests Tigers is number 5 Luke Laulilii
-
Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke MetcalfFive-Eighth for Wests Tigers is number 6 Jock Madden
-
Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Tanah BoydHalfback for Wests Tigers is number 7 Adam Doueihi
Forwards
-
Prop for Warriors is number 8 James Fisher-HarrisProp for Wests Tigers is number 8 Terrell May
-
Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde EganHooker for Wests Tigers is number 9 Apisai Koroisau
-
Prop for Warriors is number 10 Jackson FordProp for Wests Tigers is number 10 Fonua Pole
-
2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Leka Halasima2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 11 Samuela Fainu
-
2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Jacob Laban2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 12 Kai Pearce-Paul
-
Lock for Warriors is number 13 Erin ClarkLock for Wests Tigers is number 13 Alex Twal
Interchange
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Sam HealeyInterchange for Wests Tigers is number 14 Tristan Hope
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Mitchell BarnettInterchange for Wests Tigers is number 15 Sione Fainu
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Demitric VaimaugaInterchange for Wests Tigers is number 16 Royce Hunt
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Tanner Stowers-SmithInterchange for Wests Tigers is number 17 Alex Seyfarth
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 18 Marata NiukoreInterchange for Wests Tigers is number 18 Bunty Afoa
-
Interchange for Warriors is number 20 Chanel Harris-TavitaInterchange for Wests Tigers is number 19 Faaletino Tavana
Reserves
-
Reserve for Warriors is number 21 Taine TuaupikiReserve for Wests Tigers is number 21 Latu Fainu
Warriors Ins
- Adam Pompey
- Chanel Harris-Tavita
- Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
- Luke Metcalf
Wests Tigers Ins
- Bunty Afoa
- Faaletino Tavana
- Latu Fainu
Warriors Outs
- Alofiana Khan-Pereira
- Luke Hanson
- Morgan Gannon
Wests Tigers Ins
- Jarome Luai
- Patrick Herbert
Match Officials
- Referee: Adam Gee
- Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Last updated:
Stat attack
- The Warriors have won their last nine games against Wests Tigers.
- Wests Tigers have not won in New Zealand since 2016.
- Warriors forward Leka Halasima has scored seven tries in his last six NRL games.
- Only four Wests Tigers players have won an NRL game in New Zealand.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
