League: Johns fires up fans for Warriors visit

The Newcastle Knights will be riding a wave of emotion generated by their captain and longest-serving player, Andrew Johns, when they front the Warriors tomorrow.

Both teams are desperate for a win. The Knights are four-zip after their worst start in the club's 18-year history, and the Warriors are struggling to produce the consistency that making playoffs requires.

Mid-week, Johns made a plea for Newcastle fans to back the team in their time of adversity and although it came from a prepared statement, he read it from the heart.

"There's no doubt we are doing it tough just at the moment but that is part and parcel of playing football. Some of the young blokes in the team have probably been exposed to first grade before their time and they've had to learn the hard way about the importance of discipline and mistake-free footy.

"I don't think our fans are expecting us to win every weekend but they do deserve a tough and committed effort and that is what we will give them this Sunday," Johns said.

He won't be making further comment bar that on the field.

The message wasn't lost on Warriors coach Tony Kemp as he prepared his team. Though the Knights may be struggling because of injury to key players and the lack of experience of the replacements, he expects a committed effort.

Warriors captain Steve Price could have made an address of his own given the dropped ball and absent-mindedness that have cost the Auckland side so dearly.

On top of Johns' plea comes news that test hooker Danny Buderus is targeting this game for his comeback as he bids to return from elbow and shoulder surgery.

Buderus said he had been told by a specialist that it was up to him how he was feeling after arthroscopic surgery on both joints, that he could not damage them.

Then there is the opening of the Knights' redeveloped ground, with a new 12,500-seat stand.

The Knights are the least-penalised team in the competition and the Warriors the most-penalised, both in terms of high tackles and the judiciary. Three players are suspended for this game, Ruben Wiki, vice-captain Monty Betham and Tevita Latu. The team cannot afford more ill-discipline.

They are also suffering through a patchy kicking game - Nathan Fien has been a good addition but too many kicks from Stacey Jones in particular and Lance Hohaia go straight to defenders, land too short, too long or go into touch. This weekend they face the master of field kicking and methods to score from it - their defence will have to be good.

It's disturbing that the Warriors still clock off whenever there is an event on the field: They go to sleep after they score a try, they are disorganised when there are issues with the officials - the Tigers scored soon after both Betham and Latu were put on report.

They lack composure on attack. Too often there have been too few options pursued with efficiency when they are in the opposition red zone, too few dummy-runners and hence a panicked response that too frequently results in dropped ball. Too often their defence loses its structure.

The Knights are suffering too, only much worse. They have scored eight tries and conceded 30, scored 44 points and conceded 176. The Warriors, in contrast, have scored 22 tries and conceded 17, scored 118 points and conceded 98.

But their 46-14 win over Souths unbalances things. Oddly, Souths then beat Newcastle 37-12 at Gosford.

The Knights have yet to play at home this season. They will be looking to tomorrow as their homecoming.

* Warriors v Knights, Newcastle Stadium, 4.30pm Sunday