Match Centre

Fletcher Sharpe is on the spot to gather in an attacking chip kick.

Will Pryce is tackled close to the line.

The Titans kick goes dead.

Jaylan De Groot is cut down 20 metres from the try line after a great break from Jojo Fifita.

The bunker upholds the onfield call.

The Titans will challenge the decision.

Klese Haas drops the ball over the try line.

Will Pryce is on for Bradman Best.

Jack Cogger kicks the ball dead for a seven tackle set.

Kalyn Ponga does well to gather in a towering bomb.

Greg Marzhew knocks on to shut down an attacking raid from the Titans.

Bradman Best is tackled on the last.

Jack Cogger is wrapped up on the last.

Kieran Foran puts too much on his kick to give the Knights a seven tackle set.

The bunker upholds the decision - Newcastle lose the challenge.

Newcastle are challenging the ruling.

Beau Fermor gets a penalty close to halfway.

Alofiana Khan-Pereira makes a break and throws a pass to the man in support... DANE GAGAI

Newcastle grubber for the in-goal, but the ball rolls dead.

Crossland gets his first try of the year!

Bradman Best gets the ball on the last and finds his halfback in support to score.

Jack Hetherington is tackled a metre from the line.

Newcastle are soaring at the moment.

Alofiana Khan-Pereira catches on his own line.

Newcastle penalty.

Jaylan De Groot makes a good catch on his 10 metre line.

Gold Coast have kicked out on the full...

Newcastle shift the ball from side to side and Gagai delivers the final pass for Sharpe to score!

What happened there?! Campbell put up a bomb, Alofiana Khan-Pereira toed it ahead and the ball rolled dead.

Jack Hetherington is tackled on the first run of the second half.

Both teams are back on the field for the second half.

Newcastle have an 8-point lead at the break.

Ponga goes high but de Groot is up to the task.

Ponga puts Lucas into space, he passes to Best, Ponga backs up and scores!

Newcastle get a penalty.

Jaylan De Groot is tackled a metre from the try line after Jojo Fifita contested a bomb.

The Knights will rue that one - four-points for the taking.

Fletcher Sharpe drops the ball with the try line in sight!

Whichever team can score before the break will take a massive confidence boost in this one.

The Titans knock on close to the Newcastle line.

Kalyn Ponga kicks out on the full.

The referee is checking with the bunker for a knock on; the bunker confirms.

Kalyn Ponga is tackled on his goal line.

Bradman Best cleans up for the Knights after Beau Fermor ran on the last and put in a grubber.

Adam Elliott runs onto a pass from Leo Thompson with the try line beckoning - but the referee rules the ball forward.

Six again for Newcastle.

Newcastle get a penalty after points and find touch close to halfway.

Ponga gets his first try since Round 5 with that four-pointer.

Ponga burnt David Fifita with speed and carried Jayden Campbell over the line to score.

Dane Gagai has the ball stripped, regathers and gets a repeat set.

Jayden Campbell kicks out on the full.

Jojo Fifita makes a good catch to beat Greg Marzhew to the ball.

Fletcher Sharpe is cut down on his 40 metre line after the Knights spread it in their own half.

Daniel Saifiti loses the ball. A squandered opportunity for the home side.

The Newcastle chant is in full voice!

Beau Fermor drops the ball, Bradman Best makes a 60 metre run straight away!

Titans penalty - Bradman Best is ruled to have obstructed Jojo Fifita on a kick chase.

Set for set at this stage - the Titans aren't going to roll over and let the Knights have it their own way today.

Newcastle gain possession from the short drop out.

The Titans force a line drop out with a bomb by Campbell.

Brian Kelly strips the ball and the Titans have possession back in the Knights half.

Newcastle get a penalty coming out of their end.

The Titans allow the kick-off to bounce but Brian Kelly gets the ball back in time.

The Titans shifted the ball right to Fifita - the Knights expected him to pass to de Groot in support, but the winger backed himself and came up a winner!

No Try. The bunker rules Marzhew has been held up.

Greg Marzhew is over the line - the bunker is checking the grounding.

Kalyn Ponga breaks through the defence, finds Crossland in support but the Titans are able to pull him down.

Dane Gagai catches an attacking bomb but is wrapped up by the Titans defence.

Kalyn Ponga is tackled just short of his 20 metre line.

Jojo Fifita matches a cross field chip from Ponga - the Titans work the ball off their own line.

Fletcher Sharpe returns the ball up to his 40 metre line.

Brian Kelly catches the kick-off, throws an offload to Jaylan De Groot who is driven back.

Kalyn Ponga runs onto the field and kick-off is only moments away!

Kieran Foran leads the Titans onto McDonald Jones Stadium.

Make it easier: a Newcastle win means that the Knights and Dolphins are the only teams capable of finishing 8th. A Titans win means the race for the finals remains open to as many as five teams.

A Titans win will put the Dolphins in prime position to claim a place in the finals, while the Dragons, Broncos, Knights and Raiders (pending the outcome of today's clash with the Roosters) could all mathematically still finish 8th.

A Newcastle win (by any margin) will lift the side to 9th and set up a winner-takes-all clash with the Dolphins next Sunday for a place in the finals.

Newcastle will wear a hi-vis orange strip in recognition of the club’s Voice for Mining partnership. The Knights have won eight out of 18 matches wearing the mining strip over the past decade.

The Titans have won four of their 14 visits to McDonald Jones Stadium historically; their last win in Newcastle occurred in 2016.

Newcastle have won four out of seven matches against the Gold Coast during Adam O’Brien’s tenure.

Jaylan de Groot will make his NRL debut for the Titans replacing Keano Kini at fullback. Beau Fermor replaces Phillip Sami in the centres with Isaac Liu starting and Keenan Palasia joining the bench.

The Knights will line up as per program, 1-17, with Bradman Best returning after five weeks on the sidelines.

Welcome to League Unlimited’s coverage of Round 26 Sunday Afternoon Football between the Newcastle Knights and Gold Coast Titans from McDonald Jones Stadium.