Round 17: Knights v Sharks preview
Knights host Sharks with the winner all but guaranteed a finals ticket.
Not since 2013 has the onset of spring brought so much joy to Novocastrians. Usually playing for pride by now, the Newcastle Knights are just one win shy of securing a finals berth for the first time since the Wayne Bennett era.
Despite a horror 30-point hiding to the resurgent Warriors, the Knights sit in seventh place one point clear of the Sharks, but more importantly five ahead of the ninth placed New Zealanders.
Coming off a hat-trick of wins over lowly ranked opponents, the Warriors result is a timely wake up call for Newcastle who after this week tackle the Roosters, before the Dragons and Titans complete a tricky close out.
Surprisingly Adam O'Brien has retained last week's starting lineup with bench players Brodie Jones and Phoenix Crossland replacing Chris Randall and the suspended Pasami Saulo.
But with so much at stake O'Brien has plenty on his plate. Having gifted the Warriors 64 percent possession in Tamworth, lethargy isn't the only concern Newcastle need to address if they are to improve it's four from six record at home this year.
Untroubled in last week's 28-12 victory over the Cowboys, a back-to-back win for the first time since July will all but guarantee Cronulla a playoff ticket for the sixth consecutive season.
Last week's win came minus a host of big names but under the guidance of young halves Braydon Trindall and Connor Tracey the Sharks didn't miss a beat. This week Tracey drops back to the bench with Chad Townsend named to return. Doubts over Andrew Fifita's fitness continue and the premiership winner's name rounds off an extended bench.
Cronulla has an eight from nine stranglehold over the Knights dating back to 2015. And another victory in what doubles as Josh Dugan's 50th match in Sharks colours would alleviate the pressure in the closing rounds with the Warriors, Roosters and Raiders to follow.
Last meeting: Round 1 2019 - Knights 14 Sharks 8
Who to watch: Now three years into the Mitchell Pearce journey, Newcastle are sweating on the 31-year-old's nous to break the finals curse. Heading a team desperate for its second wind, the time for the Origin winner to shine has arrived. And without a line break since June and only one try assist in the past six weeks, fans in the Hunter are desperate to see a form reversal.
Rarely does a week go by without an airborne Sione Katoa treating a corner post with contempt before landing a miraculous try. Now with 14 following last week's trademark at Kogarah, the Sharks' right wingman sits atop the NRL try-scoring list and is definitely one to watch.
The favourite: The last time these two sides met was in the opening round of 2019. Newcastle won that day, but on last week's form the Sharks are narrow favourites.
My tip: Over the past fortnight the points have dried up for Newcastle and the demoralising loss to the Warriors threatens their escape from the finals wilderness. Meanwhile at Cronulla, regardless of who John Morris selects in the halves the points continue to flow. And even though they are yet to claim a top eight scalp, there's compelling evidence to suggest Newcastle will become their first. Sharks by 14.
