Newcastle Knights veteran Tyson Frizell is wary of the Warriors ahead of their elimination final blockbuster in Auckland this weekend.

The Warriors, without Shaun Johnson, were thumped by heavyweights Penrith in week one of the playoffs.

“They’ve been quite consistent all year and one game doesn’t change anything… they’re a top four side for a reason,” Frizell said on Newstalk ZB.

“They’ve been able to play a certain type of game style with their back three eating a lot of metres and bringing their middle forwards into the game – they’ve got a good mixture right across the park.”

Johnson is expected to return for the do-or-die showdown on Saturday with the winner going through to play Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium for a spot in the 2024 grand final.