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Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the NRL playoff clash between NZ Warriors and Penrith Panthers at Sydney's BlueBet Stadium.
Biggest news this week has been the withdrawal of Warriors star Shaun Johnson from the playing line-up, after a calf niggle tightened up on him at training. The loss of their Player of the Year is a huge blow to the Auckland-based side and his position has been filled by utility Dylan Walker, who has been used mainly as an impact forward off the bench this season.
The two-time defending champions and minor premiers loomed as a tough assignment anyway, even with the veteran playmaker - now, Warriors fans are probably thinking more towards the prospect of a home game next week.
Penrith won their encounter during the regular season, when the Warriors were forced to play three tough games in the space of 11 days.
The Panthers have their own problems in the halves, with Jarome Luai ruled out with a shoulder injury - but they still have Nathan Cleary to control the game and that should be enough.
Join us at 6pm Saturday for kickoff.
TAB Odds: Penrith $1.13, Warriors $5.80
NZ Warriors: 1-Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2-Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3-Rocco Berry, 4-Adam Pompey, 5-Marcelo Montoya, 6-Te Maire Martin, 14-Dylan Walker, 8-Addin Fonua-Blake, 9-Wayde Egan, 10-Mitchell Barnett, 11-Jackson Ford, 12-Marata Niukore, 13-Tohu Harris (c)
Interchange: 15-Jazz Tevaga, 16-Bayley Sironen, 17-Josh Curran, 21-Bunty Afoa
Penrith Panthers: 1-Dylan Edwards, 2-Sunia Turuva, 3-Stephen Crichton, 4-Tyrone Peachey, 5-Brian To'o, 6-Jack Cogger, 7-Natha Cleary, 8-Moses Leota, 9-Mitch Kenny, 10-James Fisher-Harris, 11-Scott Sorenson, 12-Liam Martin, 13-Isaah Yeo
Interchange: 15-Linday Smith, 16-Spencer Leniu, 17-Zac Hosking, 18-Jaeman Salmon
'No mates this week': Warriors coach Webster shuts down friend-rival Cleary
NZ Warriors coach Andrew Webster is adamant he's gone dark with his good mate-turned-temporary adversary Ivan Cleary for this weekend's bumper NRL playoffs clash.
Webster joined the Warriors this season from the Panthers, where he won consecutive NRL premierships as Cleary's assistant.
He's made an immediate impact in his debut season in charge at Auckland, guiding the Warriors to their best finish in 21 years and their first post-season berth since 2018.
The pair formed a close relationship through their decorated years in western Sydney, but Webster has echoed the sentiments from Cleary, who - speaking after the Panthers had locked up the minor premiership to book a date with the Warriors - said they "aren't going to be friends next week".
"That's already done," Webster told Newshub, when asked what the cutoff point for communications with Cleary would be. "No mates this week, it's all about winning.
"I understand Ivan has already said the same and I agree, so that's good. We can just focus on our own sides and how we can get the win, and afterwards we can be mates again."
The two sides have met once this season, when Cleary emerged with bragging rights, after an 18-6 win during magic round in a highly competitive contest.
The visitors will have to contend with a hostile reception at BlueBet Stadium, but if recent trends are anything to go by, there will be more than a smattering of Warriors faithful among the black-clad locals on Saturday.
The Kiwi ex-pats in Australia have made their presence felt wherever the Warriors have travelled across the ditch this season, most recently, last weekend at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, where the vocal contingent gave the impression the Warriors were the hosts, rather than the Dolphins.
Webster sincerely hopes that trend continues, sending out a rallying cry for their loyal fanbase to make the pilgrimage to the foot of the Blue Mountains to get behind their beloved side once again.
"They've been unbelievable," he said. "On the weekend again, we came out for warm-ups and thought it was our home game.
"It's happened several times, so if you're a Kiwi fan in Australia, we want you along to it - any finals game you can and particularly this week."
A Warriors win would see them advance directly to the preliminary final, affording them a bye in week two of the knockouts.
A loss would send them back to Auckland to host a sudden-death semi-final.
