Match Centre

FULL TIME: Not exactly a comprehensive win from Brisbane but they did look back to near their best and they'll take a 30-14 victory with glee. Match coming... right after I have a feed

Adam Reynolds can't find space with a 5th tackle kick

Right on the Knights line are Brisbane

Brisbane so close to scoring again. They press on

Another set restart to the Broncos

6 AGAIN BRISBANE

Reece Walsh running the ball with intent. He wants one more!

Newcastle nifty up the middle. Showing a bit of fight albeit far too late

Jackson Hastings must have a leg injury. Tyson Gamble tacking over the in play kicking and Kalyn Ponga attempting the most recent conversion

Dylan Lucas nearly scores but Jesse Arthars and Kotoni Staggs stop him

Newcastle really throwing the ball around but come up with a set restart. 25m out

Knights penalty for a dangerous tackle on Phoenix Crossland

Adam Reynolds kick sits up perfectly but Kalyn Ponga just brings it back into the field of play

Tyson Gamble with a bomb into the breeze and the hosts can't make anything of it

The Knights spreading the ball. Trying everything

Crossfield kick on the last from Tyson Gamble but it falls right into the arms of Corey Oates. Poor end to the set after it started so well

Greg Marzhew makes a break down the right

Phoenix Crossland takes the line on

Newcastle attacking here. 2nd tackle 40m out

Patrick Carrigan comes back onto the field and Kevin Walters is spotted with a wry smile

Walsh tries to put Riki through a hole

Corey Jensen with a big run

Jackson Hastings has been poor in this second half and comes up with a past that goes into touch. The hosts squander another great chance

Brendan Piakura is unlikely to return after suffering a groin injury

Slow your brain! Reece Walsh tries a long kick but it goes out on the full. Rocks and diamonds in this second half

Tyson Smoothy onto the field. Apologies if I missed it earlier but he'll take over the dummy half role

Gamble seems to be doing most of the kicking here but is certainly looking respectable with a bomb that goes high and long to Corey Oates

Newcastle spread it wide and Kalyn Ponga finds some space through Dylan Lucas

Brendan Piakura is off with the trainers and looks to be hurt, we'll soon see how severe it is

Deine Mariner with a nice run from dummy half

Tough kick from Tyson Gamble but Walsh makes no mistake at the back

Reece Walsh tries to DRILL it downfield but can't find touch, and Kalyn Ponga brings the ball back to his own 30m line

Now it's the Broncos who are helped by a penalty to carry the ball out of their own half

BIG CONTACT ON TYSON GAMBLE who manages to come up with a nice kick to the corner, but it's knocked on by Krystian Mapapalangi

3-0 penalty count to the hosts in the second half and it shows. Controlling the momentum now

Knights penalty. Getting a bit of groove in this second half

Big carry from Greg Marzhew off the restart

Newcastle spreading it and Kalyn Ponga looks dangerous

Brisbane go long off the drop out

Newcastle find a repeat set as the bunker takes as close look at the 5th tackle kick

Newcastle close to Brisbane's line with a couple of plays left

Dane Gagai is trying everything in attack but Deine Mariner is all over him

Newcastle into Brisbane's half

Adam Reynolds with a monster bomb and Greg Marzhew comes up with it

Are Brisbane back in 2024? They'll have to face much tougher opponents than the Knights on the run home but boy they've been good tonight

Payne Haas put on his back

BRISBANE WITH A FRESH SET! Can Newcastle defend their line here?

Dane Gagai knocks on and Deine Mariner nearly scores!

Newcastle penalty to carry them out of their own half

Walsh loses it on the last, Newcastle hang on

Billy Walters into the backfield

Trying to ward off two dogs, watch the game and blog at once... bear with me

No he doesn't! The Bunker overturn the decision and Brisbane are awarded a 20m tap

The Knights fullback chipped it over on the last and by the finest margin comes up with a repeat set

Wild long ball by Kalyn Ponga goes to ground

The sets on Brisbane's line are adding up here. How long can they hold on?

Penalty Knights. Corey Jensen collects Kalyn Ponga up high

Jackson Hastings looks dangerous but Brisbane wrap him up

6 AGAIN NEWCASTLE

If the Knights score here well we will have a game on our hands that for one is certain

Newcastle attack from right in front

Deine Mariner knock on! Reece Walsh chanced his arm but the Broncos centre couldn't hang onto the pass

Tyson Gamble kicks it deep. His side needed that

Newcastle pinned in their own 20. 3 plays done

Brisbane throwing the ball around already. Not a conservative start by any stretch

And we're underway in the second half! Brisbane with the ball off the kick off

HALF TIME: Brisbane Lead 18-0 and dominated the whole half. Big second 40 coming

Ezra Mam looks dangerous with 20 seconds to play in the first half

Walsh through to Staggs looks dangerous but Newcastle hang on

Kalyn Ponga made a break but the pass to Krystian Mapapalangi was poor and he can't hang onto it

Brisbane have dominated the last 25 minutes or so. Newcastle lucky to only be down by 12

Adam Reynolds finds the corner right up in the Knights end. It'll take a mighty effort to bring the ball back

Tyson Gamble puts it up high but its taken cleanly by Corey Oates

Ezra Mam got SO CLOSE on the last but is barely held up. This now looks like the Brisbane of old, Walsh, Riki and Staggs look lethal

LINE BREAK BRISBANE AND THEY NEARLY SCORE! STILL ON THE ATTACK

Martin Taupau on for Brisbane and makes a nice run

Good kick from the Knights and Walsh is left with no room

Daniel Saifiti comes off and is replaced by his brother, Jacob Saifiti

Newcastle try and work the ball out of their own 20

Walsh and Mam chipping away in the middle of the field

Corey Jensen bringing the ball back off the kick off

Knights knock on as they try and come back with with the ball through a short drop out

Billy Walters runs from dummy half on the last and grubbers deep to force a drop out. It's been a great game so far from the Brisbane number 9

Payne Haas marches the ball into the Knights 40

And Brisbane march the ball up 10m before kicking to touch. Looked to be dissent from the Knights. Stupid play and playing right into the visitors hands

Broncos penalty.

Deine Mariner comes up with the Jackson Hastings' bomb

Newcastle try and spread the ball on the 4th to no avail

Brisbane dominating the ruck now. The Knights linespeed is slow and they have no answers to the Broncos middles

Play is underway again through Corey Oates

Tyson Gamble has passed his HIA and will return shortly

Reece Walsh tried a kick which was cleaned up, but Leo Thompson knocks it on the in play the ball. Coach killer from the Knights

Billy Walters gets over the line but is pushed back from Tyson Frizell in a strong tackle

Brisbane from 5m out

But there's a challenge! And it's successful! Jackson Hastings played at the last tackle kick and it's Brisbane's set restart

Newcastle hold on yet again

Kotoni Staggs got through multiple tackles and is barely stopped before the try line

Jesse Arthars with a tackle break nearly getting through

Brisbane work the ball away from outside their own half

Bradman Best has officially been ruled out of the remainder of tonight's clash

And a forward pass. Brisbane throw away the chance. How disappointing for them

Adam Reynolds threw a wild pass and Krystian Mapapalangi had a golden chance to intercept but knocks on. Tackle count restarts

Can the Knights hold on? Brisbane look dangerous

Another set restart. Brisbane lose it but will take the penalty

6 AGAIN BRISBANE and Payne Haas nearly gets through to score

Brisbane right on the attack at Newcastle's line

Penalty Brisbane. Greg Marzhew tried to intercept an Adam Reynolds pass but tipped it into his own player who was offside

Corey Oates with a strong run. He's been solid tonight

Shallow kick from Jackson Hastings and Jesse Arthars makes the catch on his 30m line

Kudos to Tyson Frizell leaping high for the catch

NEWCASTLE COME UP WITH IT ON THE SHORT DROP OUT

Repeat set Brisbane. The first of the night. Adam Reynolds with a nice kick to force a drop out

Reece Walsh looks very dangerous early as he makes yet another break

Jackson Hastings put Kai Pearce-Paul through a beautiful hole but a diving effort from Adam Reynolds forces him to attempt to offload. Forward pass. Brisbane just hang on

Another Penalty to the Knights for a late shot on Jackson Hastings

6 Again to Newcastle who move their way into Brisbane's 20

Newcastle penalty. Kotoni Staggs lost the ball right into Jordan Riki who was standing in an offside position. Lost opportunity by the visitors

Penalty Brisbane. Momentum starting to swing back into their favour here

Phoenix Crossland moving into the halves with Jayden Brailey at hooker after Gamble's HIA

Bradman Best limps from the field with what looks to be a hamstring injury. Two big blows for the Knights

Bradman Best looks in trouble too, pulled up quite ginger after a tackle

Tyson Gamble is sent from the field for HIA in his first game back

Reece Walsh makes a line break and kicks infield to Ezra Mam who can't hold onto it! Try blown by Brisbane

Strong contact on Brendan Piakura who tries running it down the short side

And it's a knock on by Tyson Frizell as Phoenix Crossland misses a 6-3 overlap on the right edge. Both coaches would be fuming so far

Newcastle right on the attack. Near full set of 6 on Brisbane's line

Leo Thompson cleans up a Reece Walsh pass that went to ground. Clunky so far from both teams

Dane Gagai makes a dangerous run but Corey Oates drags him into tough. Probing start by the hosts

Brisbane decided to run the ball on the last but Kotoni Staggs with an error

Billy Walters nifty from dummy half finding Ezra Mam with the offload

That was good attacking footy but Kalyn Ponga comes up with a knock on. Kotoni Staggs with a strong defensive effort

Newcastle just outside Brisbane's 20

Penalty to the hosts early inside their own half

Reynolds goes for an attacking kick on the last but well defused by Newcastle

Payne Haas and then Patrick Carrigan with strong runs

Reece Walsh with his first carry of the night bringing back the kick

Newcastle with first use of the footy sorry... gonna be a long night at this rate

And we're underway! Brisbane with first use of the football

For the Knights, Dane Gagai, Kalyn Ponga and Blues Origin hero Bradman Best are all named to start

Brisbane is bolstered by the return to captain and halfback Adam Reynolds, who is joined by Reece Walsh, Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan who all back up from Origin

For many of us, rugby league is the only constant we have in the tumultuous world we live in. For both these teams, however, they can take nothing for granted as the top eight scrap heats up. Tonight’s matchup live from McDonald Jones stadium looks to have major ramifications for both Brisbane and Newcastle's 2024 campaigns. I’m Aidan Edgecomb, and I'm thrilled to bring you live blog coverage this evening!