The last time they met back in round two the One New Zealand Warriors and the Storm delivered an absolute belter of a contest.
Sadly for the Warriors, an unbelievable finish by Xavier Coates with seconds on the clock completed an incredible Storm comeback win in which they scored 12 points in the final two minutes to extend their winning run over the Warriors to 15.
Tonight in the return leg, the Storm are looking to protect their spot atop the NRL ladder against a Kiwi side which has won its last three games and is striving to move back into the top eight.
The Storm were effective, if far from perfect, in a 36-28 victory over the Knights in round 14 while the Warriors trounced the Cowboys 42-12 last up.
Craig Bellamy's men have won in five of their past six visits to Go Media Stadium and that one loss wasn't even against the Warriors, instead coming against the Wests Tigers in a game taken there as part of an Auckland double-header in 2018.
Match: Warriors v Storm
Round 15 -
home Team
Warriors
away Team
Storm
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Charnze Nicoll-KlokstadFullback for Storm is number 1 Sualauvi Faalogo
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Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-ZelezniakWinger for Storm is number 2 Grant Anderson
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Centre for Warriors is number 3 Rocco BerryCentre for Storm is number 3 Dean Ieremia
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Centre for Warriors is number 4 Adam PompeyCentre for Storm is number 4 Nick Meaney
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Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo MontoyaWinger for Storm is number 5 Xavier Coates
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Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Te Maire MartinFive-Eighth for Storm is number 6 Tyran Wishart
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Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Shaun JohnsonHalfback for Storm is number 7 Jahrome Hughes
Forwards
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Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-BlakeProp for Storm is number 8 Tui Kamikamica
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Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Wayde EganHooker for Storm is number 9 Harry Grant
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Prop for Warriors is number 10 Jackson FordProp for Storm is number 10 Josh King
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Marata Niukore2nd Row for Storm is number 11 Shawn Blore
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2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Mitchell Barnett2nd Row for Storm is number 12 Eliesa Katoa
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Lock for Warriors is number 15 Dylan WalkerLock for Storm is number 13 Trent Loiero
Interchange
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Interchange for Warriors is number 13 Tohu HarrisInterchange for Storm is number 15 Christian Welch
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Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Chanel Harris-TavitaInterchange for Storm is number 16 Nelson Asofa-Solomona
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Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Jazz TevagaInterchange for Storm is number 18 Joe Chan
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Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Kurt CapewellInterchange for Storm is number 19 Jack Howarth
Reserves
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Replacement for Warriors is number 20 Roger Tuivasa-SheckReplacement for Storm is number 17 Bronson Garlick
Match Officials
- Referee: Gerard Sutton
- Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
- Senior Review Official: Liam Kennedy
Last updated:
Team news
One New Zealand Warriors: Shaun Johnson is back for the first time since picking up a pectoral injury in round 10. Chanel Harris-Tavita has been retained on the bench at the expense of Freddy Lussick. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (hamstring) remained in the squad after it was cut to 19 on Friday, but coach Andrew Webster indicated earlier in the week that he's not likely to play until round 16.
Storm: On track to take the field as named mid-week, with in-form forward Eliesa Katoa is free to play after being hit with a monetary fine for a dangerous contact offence. Jack Howarth and Kane Bradley remained in the reserves after the 24-hour update.
Stat attack
- The Warriors last defeated the Storm in 2015 at Mt Smart Stadium.
- The Storm have won their past 15 games against the Warriors.
- Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has scored six tries in his last five games against the Storm.
- Storm winger Xavier Coates has scored nine tries in his last five games against the Warriors.
- Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake has scored four tries in his past five games.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
