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Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the NZ Warriors v St George Dragons NRL clash at Wollongong's WIN Stadium.
The Warriors barely stretched their unbeaten run to four games, with their 'Golden Point' draw against Manly Sea Eagles, but retain a largely unchanged line-up against the Dragons, who lag only a point behind on the competition table.
The club will be buzzing after this week's revelation that NZ Kiwis captain James Fisher-Harris will head across the ditch next season, but that won't help them in the short term, as they try to consolidate their position in the top eight.
Under new coach Shane Flanagan, they have wins over Wests Tigers, Gold Coast Titans and the Se Eagles under their belts, and certainly seem better than their second-to-last finish last year.
In a late change, the Warriors have lost the services of utility Chanel Harris-Tavita, with centre Ali Leiataua promoted to the interchange.
Join us at 8pm for kickoff.
TAB Odds: Warriors $1.40, Dragons $2.85
Fisher-Harris signing may persuade veteran star Johnson to stay on at Warriors - Blair
Signing NZ Kiwis captain James Fisher-Harris may help NZ Warriors persuade veteran half Shaun Johnson to extend his career past the current campaign, suggests retired prop Adam Blair.
Fisher-Harris, 28, will be released early from his contract with Penrith Panthers to cross the Tasman next season on "compassionate grounds", effectively replacing Dally M Prop of the Year Addin Fonua-Blake, who will head back to Sydney to join Cronulla Sharks.
The front-rower has been a core member of the Panthers' championship run over the past three years and was awarded the Golden Boot, as international player of the year, after leading New Zealand to a shock 30-0 victory over world champions Australian in last year's Pacific Championship final.
Blair describes his arrival as "one of the biggest signings for the Warriors", but not just for his expected impact on the field.
"When Shaun heard about Roger [Tuivasa-Sheck] coming back this year, that most probably made him want to play another year," Blair told NRL.com. "Maybe it's the case again and we will get Shaun for another year.
"For most players, when they get to the backend of their career, they're wanting to know what's coming and how that will suit you. This is what players look for... it's something Shaun will think about, when he sits down to think about 2025."
Johnson's late-career revival fuelled the Warriors to the 2023 NRL preliminary final, under new coach Andrew Webster, and took him within a point of the Dally M Medal for most valuable player.
He agreed to a one-year extension to resume his partnership with former captain Tuivasa-Sheck, who has returned from a foray into rugby union, amid hints his clock may be winding down.
Johnson and interchange forward Jazz Tevaga are the only two players among the Warriors top 30 uncontracted beyond this season.
Blair, who played 65 games for the Warriors at the end of his 331-game NRL career, is excited by Fisher-Harris' addition.
"You lose one top-three prop at the end of the year and you gain one," he told NRL.com. "The comeback of Shaun Johnson [from Cronulla Sharks in 2022] was quite big, but this one - given nobody would have thought it was happening in the background - it's one of the biggest signings for the Warriors.
"It's exciting for the Warriors and it just adds to the momentum they have already generated. This is what you want for the Warriors, that top homegrown talent coming to the club.
"The Warriors have gained a special player."
