Knights enforcer Daniel Saifiti out of clash with Warriors

The former NSW Origin prop strained the tendon during last week's epic 30-28 win against Canberra and, despite intensive treatment, was unable to complete Newcastle's final ball-work session on Friday.

His spot on the bench will be filled by wholehearted Brodie Jones, but there is little doubt the Knights will miss Saifiti's towering 121-kilogram frame against the heavyweight Warriors pack.

The Knights were already without halfback Jackson Hastings (ankle) and back-rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon, who carried injuries into last week's game and were unable to finish.

Knights coach Adam O'Brien described Hastings' injury as "significant" and admitted there was no guarantee he would be fit to return next week, should Newcastle get past the Warriors.

"It hampered his ability to do his job, even in the early parts [of the Raiders game], but then he copped another knock to it," O'Brien said

"That'll lead to a more significant type of injury to what he had previously. He wasn't going to be able to perform his role so we just moved on."

O'Brien said he was confident Adam Clune would prove a capable replacement for Hastings, as he was in three consecutive wins leading into the finals.

"I'm not going to downplay it," O'Brien said of Hastings' absence.

"He's a quality player, Jackson, I won't understate that.

"But what I will talk about is what Adam Clune's done for us in some pretty big games at the back end of this season.

"There were games that felt like semi-finals and Adam came in and did a great job."

AAP reports: Shaun Johnson has been named in the Warriors' team list 24 hours before the home semi-final against Newcastle in the clearest indication yet he will return from injury for the crunch clash.

The favourite for this year's Dally M Medal, Johnson missed last week's qualifying final loss to Penrith after aggravating a calf injury suffered at training late last month.

The halfback had been named in the Warriors' team on Tuesday but was considered a chance to drop out if he pulled up sore at the captain's run on Friday morning.

Coach Andrew Webster said on Thursday he was confident Johnson would play, assuming he got through Friday's run-out with no ill-effects.

The Warriors' best player all year, Johnson's inclusion would be significant for a side that struggled last week with the makeshift halves pairing of Te Maire Martin and Dylan Walker.

Far from being overwhelmed by a home semi-final and the task of bouncing back from the Panthers defeat, the Warriors have been more grounded this week, according to their coach.

"There's more on the line but I don't see it that way. I've got to prepare them the same," Webster said.

"The difference is every single person knows it's a finals game, I don't have to get them up or try and get them flying out of the line. We probably did that too much last week.

"We were a bit kamikaze at times. We're a bit smarter about our energy, what we put it into this week."

The Warriors have found success this season by playing high-percentage football, not unlike the kind perfected by Penrith, where Webster was an assistant last season.

On average, the New Zealanders have thrown the fewest offloads of any team in 2023 and taken more one-man hit-ups.

They are defensively resolute, too, conceding the third-fewest points in the regular season.

The Warriors face an offensively potent Newcastle side vying to equal a club-record of 11 consecutive wins, but that will only encourage the home side to stick to their guns.

"The biggest thing for me is stick to what's worked, know our game," Webster said.

"I don't want the boys to be something they haven't been. I don't want them to say, 'Now I'm in the finals, I have to do this, I have to make up this, I have to do more flick-passes'.

"It's really important that we be ourselves."

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