Knights coach Adam O'Brien is set to pull a selection surprise with specialist hooker Chris Randall back in favour and preparing to come off the bench against the Warriors in Tamworth on Saturday.
Randall hasn't played since being concussed and failing a HIA late in the first half of Newcastle's loss to Melbourne Storm on the Sunshine Coast earlier this month.
He missed the side's three consecutive wins over Wests Tigers, Manly and North Queensland, after the acquisition of playmaker Blake Green allowed O'Brien to move Kurt Mann into the hooking role and use youngster Phoenix Crossland as his bench hooking utility.
Despite next to no experience as a dummy-half during his junior career, Crossland hasn't looked out of place in the role, even though he is considered an out-and-out half or five-eighth.
But after Crossland played 63 minutes straight against the Cowboys following Green's season-ending knee injury last Sunday, O'Brien confirmed to the Newcastle Herald he will be given a rest against the Warriors in favour of Randall.
"Yeah, Randy will be coming off the bench for us," O'Brien said. "He hasn't played since he and Fitzy [Lachlan Fitzgibbon] unfortunately clashed heads in the Storm game and were forced off so I want to give him another opportunity.
"He's sort of been waiting in the wings for a chance and I want to see him come off the bench and play with Kurt.
"He hasn't done that yet so he'll get some game time in Tamworth and I'm sure he'll be good for us."
O'Brien emphasised Randall's selection was not a demotion for Crossland.
"I've been really happy with Phoenix and how he has handled things," he said. "But just with the amount of minutes he had to play last week, it was a big spike. So I just have to be a bit mindful of that with these young guys and play it smart."
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