After last week's high of an almighty win against St George Illawara Dragons in Australia, the Warriors are back in Auckland to face Newcastle Knights. Just don't expect the Warriors to kick on from that win and smoke the Knights though because that's not how this season has played out. I still reckon the Warriors will beat the Knights at Mt Smart, however that's not the status-quo and as the Warriors spiritual guru, I'm warning youz that there will be a few more minor bumps in this road to finish the regular season.

That might just mean a tougher contest against the Knights than many would expect. Anyone who is telling you about the Warriors having a kinda easy run into the Finals obviously doesn't watch much NRL footy as games against Knights, Bulldogs, Panthers and Raiders will all be niggly, intense affairs. The Warriors will be favourites against the Knights, Bulldogs and Raiders, yet that means little as we've been served up many examples of how unpredictable the NRL is this season.

Everything around this game against Newcastle has me leaning towards it being a niggly contest. It starts with last week and how difficult it is going to be for the Warriors to back that win up. In terms of effort and attitude, the Warriors were peaking and we've seen how difficult it is for the Warriors (and most NRL teams) to maintain that peak each week.

And I don't mean general effort or attitude, I'm talking about this rampant, aggressive, busting your gut type of defence that the Warriors have rolled out against the Dragons twice this season. Then we have a niggly Knights team, who need a win and while they don't have a superstar forward pack, they all do their jobs and make life difficult for their opponents.

Oh and that Kalyn Ponga kid; the Warriors can play well and Ponga can play better to lead the Knights to victory.

The NRL With Funny Sound Effects https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k-kvT2aCq4&t=7s A tribute to one of the greatest young prospects in the NRL. This does not include his recent Origin highlights, but I may make a video on that in the near future. LIKE & SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT NEW IDEAS!! I NEED YOUR HELP!!!

All I'm trying to do here is set the scene for a game that is just as important as an away trip to Wollongong and will be just as challenging. If they Warriors do turn it up and play their best, they could definitely blow the Knights away. It simply doesn't feel like that will happen though and I'd suggest that we might learn more about the Warriors and their Finals hopes in this game, than we did from the Dragons game.

Can the Warriors back up an impressive win, with another and consistently operate at a high level?

Can the Warriors beat a solid team in a 'find a way to win' win when they are slightly off?

How will the Warriors adjust to Newcastle's Ponga threat?

Or, how will the Warriors adjust to how Newcastle attack knowing that the Warriors love to jam and will jam up on Ponga?

Interestingly, Adam Blair has been named to start at right edge and that's the edge where Ponga does his best work. Regular readers know that Blair has been playing on an edge consistently for the past month or so, with Simon Mannering in the middle and all that's changed this week is that Blair and Mannering have been named in those specific positions.

That's not interesting, that's old news. Blair having a huge defensive job to do against Ponga, now that's bloody interesting. Ponga has a fantastic combo with Lachlan Fitzgibbon on the Knights left edge and while making tackles is important here, it's more about reading the Knights attacking scheme and making correct decisions. Blair misses tackles like any other player, he's no lock down defender, but he doesn't need to be and only needs to help those defending inside and outside of him, while executing on all the homework they would have done on Ponga's tendencies.

Having Shaun Johnson defending outside of Blair, will help. Again, this isn't so much about tackling; Johnson's quick and has the ability to adjust to Ponga's moves better than most given his agility and know-how of Ponga's play, through Johnson's own play in attack.

Jump out one further and Gerard Beale has been as good defensively as he has with the footy since coming into the centre position. Beale's aggressive but super mobile, allowing him to cover space nicely and pounce when he can read the play. It's the combination of Blair, Johnson and Beale that has me optimistic that they can limit the influence of Ponga on his favoured side of the field.

All three are quick-footed, experienced and able to read what's happening in front of them. A low key aspect of the right edge's defence is the cover in behind them, whether that's Blair wrapping behind his outside backs when the ball goes past him, or Roger Tuivasa-Sheck always being there, waiting at the try-line as he was last week. This work in ensuring that numbers are in the frame for cover defence, allows Beale, Johnson and David Fusitu'a to jam, knowing that their comrades are working to cover their jams.

Coach Stephen Kearney has also injected Peta Hiku into the team, although their could be late changes made. I love this and view it as the best result of the Beale, Solomone Kata and Hiku situation as Hiku is a super versatile player who can offer value as a funky forward. Hiku is an offensive weapon; he offloads, makes metres and breaks tackles with ease. In the middle, his defence can be helped by those around him as well.

Maybe Hiku doesn't get any minutes, maybe he gets a few outside back minutes. All good, at least he's there. I do think that giving Hiku a level of freedom to roam could be a twist to the Warriors that gives them another look, something that other teams aren't quite ready for.

Hiku's presence on the bench doesn't have any negative impact on the forward rotation either. Blair and Isaiah Papali'i are 80 minute edge forwards, Mannering's going to play around 60 minutes and Jazz Tevaga will get his usual 50+ minutes. With James Gavet, Agnatius Paasi, Leivaha Pulu and Bunty Afoa all getting between 20-30mins, the bases are covered and depending on the balance of minutes, there will only be 5-15mins available for Hiku - if Kearney does go down that path with Hiku.

Whether it's the usage of Hiku or the possibility that Tohu Harris returns, or a few other minor details; I don't think we are close to seeing the finished Warriors product in 2018. I reckon they have a few more looks to show, a few more angles to their game, a few different rotations to work with depending on their opposition. This game is a nice example of that and Newcastle offer a unique challenge, the type of challenge that should bring out another level to the Warriors performance.

Even if it's not an excessivey slick level to their performance and reinforcing their gritty, rugged foundations, it'll be lovely.

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Peace and love 27.