Match Discussion: Round 8 vs Warriors @ Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch / Aotearoa

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2025 - Round 8
Warriors v Newcastle Knights
Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch / Aotearoa (TICKETS)

Friday 25 April 2025
NRL kickoff 6:05pm AEST (8:5pm NZT)
Live on Fox, Kayo

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Taine Tuaupiki 3. Rocco Berry 4. Ali Leiataua 5. Adam Pompey 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Luke Metcalf 8. Jackson Ford 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Marata Niukore 13. Erin Clark
14. Leka Halasima 15. Bunty Afoa 16. Demitric Vaimauga 17. Jacob Laban
18. Te Maire Martin 20. Tanah Boyd 21. Tanner Stowers-Smith 22. Samuel Healey 23. Edward Kosi

In: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (fullback), Rocco Berry (centre), Tanah Boyd (reserve), Tanner Stowers-Smith (reserve), Samuel Healey (reserve)
Changes: Taine Tuaupiki (fullback to wing), Edward Kosi (wing to reserve), Kurt Capewell (centre to second row), Selumiela Halasima (second row to bench), Te Maire Martin (bench to reserve)

1. Kalyn Ponga 2. James Schiller 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Fletcher Sharpe 7. Tyson Gamble 8. Tyson Frizell 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Mathew Croker
14. Jayden Brailey 15. Tyrone Thompson 16. Thomas Cant 17. Brodie Jones
18. Kyle McCarthy 19. Paul Bryan 20. Jack Cogger 21. Matthew Arthur 22. Logan Aoake

Out: Jermaine McEwen (bench)
In: Dylan Lucas (second row), Kyle McCarthy (reserve), Paul Bryan (reserve), Jack Cogger (reserve), Matthew Arthur (reserve), Logan Aoake (reserve)
Changes: Thomas Cant (second row to bench)

Referee: Wyatt Raymond
Sideline Officials: Phil Henderson, TBC
Video Referee: Kasey Badger

HEAD TO HEAD - 1995 - 2024​

	TOTAL	WAR	NEW	DRAWN
ALL MATCHES	51	25	25	1
APOLLO	0	0	0	0

LAST FIVE MEETINGS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2023	Round 1	WAR 20-12	Sky Stadium	16676
2023	Round 6	NEW 34-24	McD. Jones	18007
2023	Semi Final	WAR 40-10	Go Media	26083
2024	Round 4	WAR 20-12	Go Media	24112
2024	Round 9	NEW 14-8	McD. Jones	16094

BIGGEST WINS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
1995	Round 9	NEW 48-6	Marathon	22136
1999	Round 25	WAR 42-0	Ericsson	15385
2007	Round 20	WAR 52-10	Mt Smart	11301

NEXT FOUR MATCHES​

	Round 9	Round 10	Round 11	Round 12
WARRIORS	NQL (H)	SGI (A)	DOL (A)	CAN (H)
NEWCASTLE	SOU (A)	GLD (H)	PAR (H)	PEN (A)

LAST THREE MATCHES​

	Round 5		Round 6		Round 7
WARRIORS	BYE		MEL	L 14-42	BRI	W 20-18
NEWCASTLE	CBY	L 0-20	WST	L 4-20	CRO	L 14-34

STATE OF PLAY: 2025 SEASON​

	POSITION	PLAYED	BYES	W-L-D	FOR	AGAINST
WARRIORS	4th	6	1	4-2-0	118	136
NEWCASTLE	14th	6	1	2-4-0	60	120

 

[Zoidberg]

Short turnaround.
Over in NZ.
What could go wrong?

 

[ryan.a87]

Don’t be so negative, think of all the things that could go right!

Good effort!
Improvement on last week (even though the scoreboard might not reflect it)
Experience for young players that our out of their depth

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Lucas one step closer to NRL return as Knights take flight to New Zealand

Newcastle v Warriors in Christchurch on Anzac Day.

www.newcastleherald.com.au

Article says we're sending 22 players over to NZ and Lucas is one of those. All 17 players from the Sharks game have also flown over.

 

[ryan.a87]

Hopefully knights are giving Cogger ample time to recover from his career threatening injury

 

[Woody90]

Lucas one step closer to NRL return as Knights take flight to New Zealand

Newcastle v Warriors in Christchurch on Anzac Day.

www.newcastleherald.com.au

Article says we're sending 22 players over to NZ and Lucas is one of those. All 17 players from the Sharks game have also flown over.

Any word on JSaf, Elliott, Jack, etc? McEwan, Thompson, Cant, etc have done a decent job filling in but we really need first graders in the side.

Also hopefully Gamble plays. Poor bloke can’t catch a break (no pun intended), and Cogger will just walk back in again. We were still very bad on Sunday but I do think we were better with Gamble there as opposed to Cogger/Crossland…still doing a heap of dumb things and the attack wasn’t clicking but we seemed a lot more prepared to at least try. I think Sharpe was more confident with Gamble there too.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Any word on JSaf, Elliott, Jack, etc? McEwan, Thompson, Cant, etc have done a decent job filling in but we really need first graders in the side.

Also hopefully Gamble plays. Poor bloke can’t catch a break (no pun intended), and Cogger will just walk back in again. We were still very bad on Sunday but I do think we were better with Gamble there as opposed to Cogger/Crossland…still doing a heap of dumb things and the attack wasn’t clicking but we seemed a lot more prepared to at least try. I think Sharpe was more confident with Gamble there too.

Article just says it's unclear whether they'll make the trip over or not

 

[Burwood]

I thought Melbourne v Warriors was always an Anzac Day fixture?

 

[mozza91]

I thought Melbourne v Warriors was always an Anzac Day fixture?

They changed it last year so both teams get a home game on Anzac Day.
It was really cool for the couple of years we got a home game on Anzac Day. They did a quality job with the presentation, last post, jerseys etc. Would be great if we could get a home game for it again in the next few years.

 

[Knight Tales]

This will be a game to forget in a hurry. Big occasion. A road trip we perpetually fail on. I see the Warriors making a statement.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Yeah this is a bit of a nightmare matchup given how out of form and undermanned we are.

 

[League Unlimited News]

1. Kalyn Ponga 2. James Schiller 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Fletcher Sharpe 7. Tyson Gamble 8. Tyson Frizell 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Mathew Croker

14. Jayden Brailey 15. Tyrone Thompson 16. Thomas Cant 17. Brodie Jones
18. Kyle McCarthy 19. Paul Bryan 20. Jack Cogger 21. Matthew Arthur 22. Logan Aoake

Out: Jermaine McEwen (bench)
In: Dylan Lucas (second row), Kyle McCarthy (reserve), Paul Bryan (reserve), Jack Cogger (reserve), Matthew Arthur (reserve), Logan Aoake (reserve)
Changes: Thomas Cant (second row to bench)

NRL TEAMS - 2025 Round 8 (ANZAC Round) » League Unlimited

leagueunlimited.com

 

[Zoidberg]

Very happy to see Lucas back in the team.

 

[Old dog]

Hope he’s alright and gets through unscathed, we have missed him

 

[Apey]

Warriors 13+

 

[Woody90]

What happened to McEwen? Just dropped?

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

That moron Mason has said on his podcast that Gamble doesn't belong in first grade...

Ex-Knight takes fresh shot at Gamble as Newcastle name Anzac Day side

The 64-game half returned on Sunday to play his first match this season.

www.newcastleherald.com.au

 

[knightsarmy]

That moron Mason has said on his podcast that Gamble doesn't belong in first grade...

Ex-Knight takes fresh shot at Gamble as Newcastle name Anzac Day side

The 64-game half returned on Sunday to play his first match this season.

www.newcastleherald.com.au

No thats not quite right
Mason said hes not a 1st grade half , but a great number 14

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

No thats not quite right
Mason said hes not a 1st grade half , but a great number 14

"With Gamble, I know I've had my little tussle with him, but ... he doesn't belong in first grade," Mason said, speaking on his Levels Network podcast alongside former NRL player Justin Horo.

 

[macavity]

What happened to McEwen? Just dropped?

Yep. He is very much a kid, hasn't looked like he has belonged. A few years off.