Jett Cleary will make his long-awaited debut for the Warriors against the Newcastle Knights at Go Media Stadium in Auckland on Sunday, August 30, 2026. Coach Andrew Webster confirmed late squad adjustments as the club chases a top-two finish in the final rounds of the regular season.
Jett Cleary Debuts in an Unfamiliar Halves Pairing Against Newcastle
Jett Cleary will make his first-grade debut for the club, pairing alongside Luke Hanson in what the club noted on Saturday afternoon is the least experienced halves combination in Warriors history, according to RNZ.
The debut comes after late omissions to the expected lineup. Te Maire Martin was named earlier in the week to return from a hamstring injury that sidelined him against Penrith, Brisbane, and South Sydney, while Chanel Harris-Tavita was carrying a minor hamstring issue.
Andrew Webster, Warriors Coach
Both players are expected to return to full training next week ahead of the final regular-season match against Manly Warringah on Saturday, September 5, RNZ reported. Jett Cleary’s long-term future had previously faced questions after he was granted an early release from his contract on compassionate grounds to return to Australia at the end of the 2026 season. It had been looking highly unlikely Jett – the son of former Warrior Ivan Cleary, and younger brother of of four-time premiership winner Nathan – would ever make his first grade debut with the Warriors after being granted an early release from his contract on compassionate grounds.
Milestones and Personnel Shifts for the Warriors and Knights
Mid-season recruit Luke Laulilii reaches a major career milestone on Sunday, becoming the 300th player to represent the Warriors in an NRL match. Signed from the Wests Tigers in June, the 20-year-old winger starts in place of Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who underwent surgery after breaking his collarbone during last week’s victory over the Rabbitohs, RNZ noted. Ali Leiataua also returns to the starting side at centre, pushing Adam Pompey to the bench.
Newcastle arrives in Auckland dealing with significant personnel losses. Centre Dane Gagai returns from a hamstring complaint, pushing Fletcher Hunt to the wing to cover for the suspended Dom Young. Forward Tyson Frizell is also sidelined due to suspension, while Kiwis hooker Phoenix Crossland is out following knee surgery. Francis Manuleleua and Harrison Graham step into the starting side to cover those absences.
Chasing the Minor Premiership Amid Mid-Season Leadership
The Warriors sit near the summit of the competition following a 45-26 win over South Sydney that broke the Rabbitohs’ eight-match winning streak at Allianz Stadium and pushed the New Zealand club to No. 1 on points differential ahead of the Penrith Panthers. Giltinan Shield for only the second time in club history—joining the 2002 squad—the Warriors must navigate their final two fixtures.
Despite the historic stakes, Webster maintains that ladder position is not the primary focus inside the camp. We’ve never mentioned it once,
Webster said. “We’ve just got to worry about chasing our best game. If we chase our best game the next two weeks, that guarantees us top two. If it doesn’t, then we’ll just deal with whatever situation comes. But chasing minor premierships isn’t the top of our list at the moment. It has not been mentioned.”
Andrew Webster, Warriors Coach
Behind the scenes, leadership from younger squad members has steadied the team following a mid-season slump. Second-rower Demitric Vaimauga highlighted the influence of teammate Leka Halasima, who organized a player group chat during a tough stretch to refocus the squad. He brought us all together, fired us up and just reminded us how how special it is to be on the the big stage all together, Vaimauga said of Halasima’s pep talk, which helped ignite form across the younger members of the roster. Vaimauga said the pep talk was the catalyst for the younger members in the squad rediscovering their form. There was a stretch there where Jakey [Jacob Laban] was playing probably the best footy for us. Ali [Leiataua] found his groove again, and I just felt most of us young boys stepped up and were playing some good footy, which has taken us to where we are now.
Historical Matchup and What Lies Ahead
History between the two clubs shows a closely contested rivalry. At Mt Smart Stadium specifically, the Warriors have claimed 15 victories from 25 encounters against Newcastle.
Sunday’s encounter carries high stakes for both sides. While the Warriors aim to solidify their position at the top of the ladder, the Knights enter their final regular-season match before a competition bye, needing a strong performance to secure a home elimination final.
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