League: Teams get chance to shine again

Why change a winning team?

Both the Warriors and Knights kept the line-ups that produced good victories against the Tigers and Bulldogs respectively as they prepared for their contest at Newcastle this weekend.

Sione Faumuina returns from suspension for the Warriors but is named on a five-man bench with all 18 players to travel on Saturday. Coach Ivan Cleary expects to start the same 13 as last weekend but is pleased with the options he has.

The only injury worry is Epalahame Lauaki's shoulder, but he is expected to recover.

Cleary was pleased in one way with the test against the competition's frontrunners.

"We don't have any time to congratulate ourselves after the win over the Tigers, it's such a big ask this week," he said.

He'd like to see the Knights and their star performer Andrew Johns put under some pressure and the game running as a real contest.

"No one has done that so far."

The home side have enjoyed sell-out crowds for their games against the Eels and Bulldogs and expectation is for a hostile environment for the Warriors on Sunday afternoon.

They have no injury concerns among the 17 who played last weekend.

* The Dragons have lost Jason Ryles for four weeks with a broken bone in his hand, their other test prop Luke Bailey is also sidelined with injury. Centre Matt Cooper and forward utility Ben Creagh return for the game against Brisbane.

Souths have lost Stuart Webb for three weeks for a reckless high tackle on Clint Greenshields and centre Yileen Gordon is out for one for a careless high shot during their loss to the Dragons last Sunday.

The Storm were given another day to review video evidence of a tackle that brought a reckless high charge against Antonio Kaufusi but he faces two weeks off.

The NRL will raise the salary cap progressively over the next five years, also raising the grant it gives to clubs so they are not financially threatened.

Club chief executives met in Sydney yesterday and agreed to a cap increase for 2006, though some spoke about the fact that 13 of the NRL franchises lost money in 2005 and that new taxes on gaming were biting. Penrith had been forced to seek an extra A$5 million in funding.

The NRL chief executive is to meet the Rugby League Players Association tonight to have the deal ratified.

* Warriors v Knights, Newcastle, Sunday 5pm

Warriors

Brent Webb
Todd Byrne
Tony Martin
Clinton Toopi
Manu Vatuvei
Jerome Ropati
Nathan Fien
Ruben Wiki
George Gatis
Steve Price (c)
Awen Guttenbeil
Wairangi Koopu
Louis Anderson

Knights

Milton Thaiday
Brian Carney
Matt Gidley
George Carmont
David Seage
Kurt Gidley
Andrew Johns (c)
Craig Smith
Danny Buderus
Josh Perry
Steve Simpson
Kirk Reynoldson
Reegan Tanner

Interchange:

Warriors: Grant Rovelli, Evarn Tuimavave, Epalahame Lauaki, Micheal Luck, Sione Faumuina.

Knights: Adam Woolnough, Daniel Tolar, Riley Brown, Todd Lowrie.