Mt Smart Stadium will play host to Saturday's Round 25 NRL game between New Zealand Warriors and Gold Coast Titans. The game kicks off at 5:00 pm with New Zealand Warriors heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the New Zealand Warriors vs. Gold Coast Titans game and give you our free tips and bets.
When: Saturday September 3, 2022 at 5:00 pm
Where: Mt Smart Stadium
Bet: Bet On This Match HERE
New Zealand Warriors vs Gold Coast Titans Odds
New Zealand Warriors vs Gold Coast Titans Preview
Super Saturday gets underway with another dead-rubber battle of the battlers, though the 14th-placed Warriors will be hoping to leap one or two spots on the ladder.
The second-last Titans are all but clear of wooden spoon danger and will leapfrog the Warriors with a win in Auckland.
Stung by four withdrawals from the team named on Tuesday (plus Shaun Johnson’s halftime exit), the Warriors showed effort but little class in a 46-12 loss at Penrith last Friday – though it was a marked improvement from their 48-4 loss in Townsville a week earlier, however Johnson has been named to play.
Rocco Berry and Jesse Arthars return in the centres with in-form youngsters Viliami Vailea and Ed Kosi out and Marcelo Montoya reverting to the wing.
Wayde Egan and Euan Aitken are also back after withdrawing last week, which sees Taniela Otukolo and Dunamis Lui drop out of the 17.
The Titans have enjoyed something of an upswing after losing 11 straight, winning two of their last three.
They outlasted fellow also-rans the Knights 36-26 – despite the 51st-minute send-off of Brian Kelly – with AJ Brimson and Greg Marzhew bagging doubles.
Justin Holbrook’s side is still leaking a torrent of points but has rediscovered their offensive spirit, piling on 106 points in the past three rounds and Phillip Sami replaces the suspended Kelly this week.
After struggling in this rivalry for a decade, the Titans have won three of their last four against the Warriors.
They smashed the nomadic side 44-0 in the final round last season and held them out 20-18 in Round 2 this year.
But the Warriors have won the last four clashes at Mt Smart by an average margin of 10.8 points.
On the surface the Warriors have improved little since Stacey Jones took over from Nathan Brown, having copped some bad beatings from the NRL’s top teams.
But they haven’t lost to a bottom-eight rival under Jones and have been far better at Mt Smart, bookending an acceptable loss to the Storm with big wins over the Tigers and Bulldogs.
Plenty of points will be on offer as the NRL’s two worst defences square off, but the Warriors are well-placed to run away with it.
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New Zealand Warriors vs Gold Coast Titans Tip
We're tipping New Zealand Warriors to win at $1.55 odds.
New Zealand Warriors vs Gold Coast Titans Teams
Warriors team: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Jesse Arthars 4. Rocco Berry 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Tohu Harris 11. Euan Aitken 12. Josh Curran 13. Bunty Afoa 14. Freddy Lussick 15. Ben Murdoch-Masila 16. Eliesa Katoa 17. Tom Ale 18. Jack Murchie 20. Daejarn Asi 21. Adam Pompey 22. Edward Kosi 23. Jackson Frei
Titans team: 1. Jayden Campbell 2. Greg Marzhew 3. Sosefo Fifita 4. Phillip Sami 5. Corey Thompson 6. AJ Brimson 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Sam McIntyre 10. Tino Fa?asuamaleaui 11. David Fifita 12. Beau Fermor 13. Isaac Liu 14. Paul Turner 15. Herman Ese?ese 16. Jaimin Jolliffe 17. Klese Haas 18. Jarrod Wallace 19. Tony Francis 20. Toby Sexton 21. Jamayne Isaako 22. Sam Lisone