Warriors’ star recruit Ryan Hoffman is relishing the prospect of facing his mate and Newcastle hitman Beau Scott when the Auckland-based NRL club take on the Knights at Hunter Stadium.
The NSW State of Origin pair will come together in an eagerly-awaited match-up on Saturday night.
“I’ve known Beauy a long time – we went to school together,” he said.
“He’s obviously a very tough character and you enjoy challenging yourself up against the best backrowers in the game and certainly Beauy’s up there.”
Hoffman, who was the Warriors’ big off-season recruit, said the Auckland-based side was simply focused on getting the basics right against the Knights.
“It’s all about getting the processes right and making sure we’re doing the things we want to do as a team and the result should look after itself.”
Hoffman, 31, joined the Warriors from Melbourne, with whom he won a premiership in 2010.
The Kangaroos and NSW Origin representative is among three players in the Warriors’ starting line-up who will make their first appearance for the club when they run out against the Knights.
The others are second-row partner Bodene Thompson, previously with the Wests Tigers, and rookie centre Solomone Kata, who starred in the Auckland Nines.
Kata, 20, will partner seasoned winger Manu Vatuvei, giving the Warriors’ plenty of size out wide on Hoffman’s side of the field.
“He’s a confident young kid and he’s got an experienced bloke on the inside and outside of him in Chad Townsend and Manu,” Hoffman said.
“We’ve got all the confidence in the world in him and I’m sure he’s really looking forward to this weekend.”
Coach Andrew McFadden said Hoffman and Thompson’s experience would be important given the youth in the match-day squad.
Apart from Kata, the youngsters also include props Sam Lisone and Albert Vete, who will make their NRL debuts if they come off the bench.
“It’s going to be a tough game, a real challenge for some of these kids,” McFadden said.
“But we’ve got that composure around them and that will certainly help them get through.”
