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Warriors v Dragons: Martin return on hold; Finau to debut

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A win on Friday night will guarantee the Warriors a top-four finish, while victory for the Dragons will all but assure them of avoiding the dreaded wooden spoon in 2023. 

Andrew Webster's men won their sixth game on the trot last week by beating the Sea Eagles, becoming the first Warriors side to do that since 2002, while they are now just two wins short of equaling the club record winning streak, also set in that season 21 years ago. 

While it was a more convincing performance than what they dished up in the previous two weeks, some big question marks remain over the Warriors in defence right now, particularly their left edge which allowed Jason Saab to score three tries in Round 25. 

The Dragons meanwhile have been in every game over the past month but have nothing to show for it, with late lapses costing them again in a 38-28 defeat to the Storm, in which they trailed by just two with six minutes to play. 

St George Illawarra have played at Go Media Stadium only twice since 2015, losing on both occasions, and when they met the Warriors earlier this year in Wollongong they were on the wrong side of a 48-18 scoreline. 

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Team News 

Warriors: The Warriors are 1-17 with no late changes. Te Maire Martin's NRL return is on hold for at least another week, after he was cut from the squad when it was reduced to 19 on Thursday night. Forward Mitch Barnett remains sidelined due to a laceration on his leg. Taine Tuaupiki is 18th Man.

Dragons: A late change with winger Sione Finau coming in on for his NRL debut in place of Mat Feagai, who drops to 18th Man. A switch at hooker with Connor Muhleisen coming into the run-on side and Jacob Liddle going back to the bench again as they did last week. Centre Zac Lomax returns after being a late out last week with a shoulder injury.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
    Fullback for Dragons is number 1 Tyrell Sloan
  • Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
    Winger for Dragons is number 5 Mikaele Ravalawa
  • Centre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco Berry
    Centre for Dragons is number 3 Mosese Suli
  • Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam Pompey
    Centre for Dragons is number 4 Zac Lomax
  • Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya
    Winger for Dragons is number 21 Sione Finau
  • Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Luke Metcalf
    Five-Eighth for Dragons is number 6 Talatau Amone
  • Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun Johnson
    Halfback for Dragons is number 7 Ben Hunt

Forwards

  • Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
    Prop for Dragons is number 8 Francis Molo
  • Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde Egan
    Hooker for Dragons is number 14 Connor Muhleisen
  • Prop for Warriors is number 10 Bunty Afoa
    Prop for Dragons is number 10 Blake Lawrie
  • 2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Josh Curran
    2nd Row for Dragons is number 11 Billy Burns
  • 2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Marata Niukore
    2nd Row for Dragons is number 12 Dan Russell
  • Lock for Warriors is number 13 Tohu Harris
    Lock for Dragons is number 13 Michael Molo

Interchange

  • Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Dylan Walker
    Interchange for Dragons is number 9 Jacob Liddle
  • Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Jackson Ford
    Interchange for Dragons is number 15 Ryan Couchman
  • Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Bayley Sironen
    Interchange for Dragons is number 16 Ben Murdoch-Masila
  • Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Freddy Lussick
    Interchange for Dragons is number 17 Zane Musgrove

Reserves

  • Replacement for Warriors is number 20 Taine Tuaupiki
    Replacement for Dragons is number 2 Mathew Feagai

Match Officials

  • Referee: Peter Gough
  • Touch Judge: Matt Noyen
  • Touch Judge: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
  • Senior Review Official: Adam Gee

Last updated:

Stat Attack

  • Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has scored at least one try in each of his past seven appearances. He has 19 tries in his past 12 games.
  • The Dragons have just one win since Round 19 but haven't lost by a margin of more than 12 points in that period.
  • Dragons prop Blake Lawrie hasn't made a single error in his 20 appearances this season. 
  • The Warriors are aiming for seven consecutive wins for the first time since 2002.
  • The Dragons have lost all 11 games away from home in 2023.
  • Dragons winger Mikaele Ravalawa has scored 11 tries in his past seven games.
  • Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson will play his 250th NRL game.

Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the .

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National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.