Who, what, when, where, why: Warriors bench inclusion jett cleary appears in the late mail for the New Zealand Warriors as Mitch Barnett is cleared to return from a serious knee injury for the Round 3 clash at McDonald Jones Stadium; the Newcastle Knights will be without Fletcher Sharpe, forcing reshuffles before kickoff. The Newcastle Knights v New Zealand Warriors match is listed at 3: 00 PM AEDT (12: 00 AM ET). The late changes come after training tests left Sharpe sidelined and Barnett passed fit to be part of the six-man bench.
Jett Cleary and Warriors late changes
The Warriors list Jett Cleary at No. 22 in their Round 3 squad, a late inclusion on the extended bench as coach-led adjustments ripple through the side. Origin forward Mitch Barnett is set to return from a serious knee injury and has been confirmed to come off the pine in a club statement, supplying the Warriors with frontline depth they had expected to regain later in the season. Centre Adam Pompey has been ruled out to remain in New Zealand for family reasons, prompting Andrew Webster to shift his backline options and start the explosive Leka Halasima in the centres.
Marata Niukore is back from a calf injury and will start in the back row, while Luke Hanson is named to make his NRL debut at five-eighth, a front-line change that moves holding patterns across the squad. The Warriors list also includes Taine Tuaupiki, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Ali Leiataua, Leka Halasima, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Tanah Boyd and James Fisher-Harris, with jett cleary available as bench depth should the game demand fresh legs.
Knights cut Sharpe; reshuffle forces Gamble to five-eighth
The Newcastle side has been hit late with the loss of Fletcher Sharpe, who will miss selection after failing to get through training with an ongoing PCL knee injury. Sharpe’s absence leaves the Knights without one of their key playmakers, and with Dylan Brown and Kalyn Ponga already sidelined for extended periods, the Knights have reconfigured their spine. Tyson Gamble has been named to play five-eighth in the reshaped attack, and the full 17 includes familiar names such as Fletcher Hunt, Dominic Young, Dane Gagai and Bradman Best.
Newcastle’s late mail confirms that Sharpe’s inclusion had been expected as a timely boost while the club manages a stretched playmaking group; with him ruled out the Knights will rely on reshuffled roles and bench options when they meet the Warriors at McDonald Jones Stadium at 3: 00 PM AEDT (12: 00 AM ET).
Other Round 3 late updates and reactions
At Cronulla, coach Craig Fitzgibbon, Cronulla Sharks coach, offered a short update on recovery progress for returning players, saying the named bench option “is looking really good” as he pushes to clear a shoulder concern. The Sharks have Teig Wilton pushing for a return from shoulder surgery the extended bench and Mawene Hiroti is listed to push for a comeback from a knee issue. Those matches are scheduled in the evening Australian time, with the Cronulla Sharks v Dolphins fixture at 5: 30 PM AEDT (2: 30 AM ET).
Across the round, clubs have used late selection windows to confirm returns and manage player welfare: the Warriors confirmed Barnett will be used off the bench in a club statement, the Knights issued late mail around Sharpe’s PCL issue, and the Sharks provided an update through their coach on recovery timelines.
What’s next: Teams will complete final pre-game checks and confirm any last-minute changes in the 24-hour window before kickoff; attention will focus on how Mitch Barnett’s earlier-than-expected return affects the Warriors’ back-row rotation and how Newcastle copes without Fletcher Sharpe. The Warriors and Knights meet at McDonald Jones Stadium at 3: 00 PM AEDT (12: 00 AM ET), and Jett Cleary remains an available bench option should the match demand immediate impact from the Warriors’ depth.
