League: Betham pays penalty - out for six weeks

The Warriors retain some stability in their side to play the Newcastle Knights, despite more changes forced by suspension and injury.

Monty Betham is out for six weeks after accepting the penalty for a dangerous throw on Wests Tigers prop Todd Payten and hooker Tevita Latu is gone for anything from one to three weeks, depending on the outcome of a hearing in Sydney tonight where he will ask for the severity of the charge, and hence the penalty, to be downgraded.

The club will show video of other offending tackles and argue that the grade-five count against Latu for a high shot on Tigers forward Anthony Laffranchi is extreme when measured against them.

Latu and the club's lawyer Bruce Gray will go to Sydney to appear before the three-man judiciary panel. Betham is out until round 13 against the Dragons in Wollongong.

Also suspended on dangerous throw counts are Eels prop Aaron Cannings and Cowboys centre Josh Hannay, who are out for a week.

Warriors fullback Brent Webb has a small disc injury and is expected to be ruled out of the Knights game and the Anzac test after further medical testing.

Tony Martin and Simon Mannering are still injured.

The Warriors should enjoy better combinations and cohesion than the Knights, who have four losses from as many games, their only two points via the NRL's weird system whereby you get two for not playing and one for a draw after 80 minutes plus overtime.

It's a game the Warriors should win considering their experience advantage. Lose, and their season starts to look decidedly shaky.

But of late it seems that playing with desperation brings judiciary charges, not victory. Twenty-one cases have been brought against Warriors players since the start of 2004. The next worst are Manly with 14.

That has been addressed by the club this week with chief executive Mick Watson challenging the coaching staff to rectify the discipline problem.

* Newcastle Stadium, Sunday 4.30pm

NZ Warriors

Jerome Ropati, Francis Meli, Todd Byrne, Clinton Toopi, Manu Vatuvei, Lance Hohaia, Stacey Jones, Iafeta Paleaaesina, Nathan Fien, Steve Price (c), Awen Guttenbeil, Wairangi Koopu, Sione Faumuina

Knights

Dustin Cooper, Brad Tighe, Matt Gidley, George Carmont, Trent Salkeld, Kurt Gidley, Andrew Johns (c), Craig Smith, Luke Quigley, Kirk Reynoldson, Steve Simpson, Reegan Tanner, Daniel Abraham

Reserves:

Warriors: Louis Anderson, Karl Temata, Richard Villasanti, Epalahame Lauaki.

Knights: Matt Kennedy, Todd Lowrie, Blake Mueller, Daniel Tolar, Kurt Hancock.