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Newcastle Knights v North Queensland Cowboys Sunday 4:05pm at McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal

Heated Hunter showdown with plenty on the line  

On Sunday afternoon at McDonald Jones Stadium, the Newcastle Knights and North Queensland Cowboys will do battle. For the Knights, a win in this one will all but assure their place in the top eight come finals time for the first time since the 2013 season, which saw them bow out one game short of the Grand Final to eventual premiers the Sydney Roosters.

The Cowboys' season is over and if anything, this game is a chance for them to restore some of the club's pride as they currently sit in fourteenth on the premiership ladder. They won't be pleased with how they managed to throw away their last game against South Sydney in the dying stages and will be looking to right the wrongs of that performance.

It all makes for an intriguing clash coming up in Sunday afternoon footy.  
 
In team news for Newcastle, Daniel Saifiti is out and will be replaced in the starting front row position by his brother, Jacob. The change means that Pasami Saulo will come onto the bench for the Novocastrians.  

The only change for the Cowboys from their last round loss to the Rabbitohs comes through the bench. Jake Granville is out of the side and has been replaced on the interchange by Rueben Cotter. 

Last meeting: Round 7 2020 - Cowboys 32 Knights 20

Who to watch: It's hard to go past Kalyn Ponga up against his former club in the form he has been recently. The Cowboys' defence has at times been well below par and Ponga is just the type of player to expose that weakness in their game. The boys from the far reaches of Queensland will have to tighten the screws a lot better than they did last week, leaking 31 points, if they are to contain the young fullback.  

In saying that the Cowboys defence has at times been flimsy, so has Newcastle's. Reece Robson is the type of player to punish teams for weak defence and if Taumalolo can punch a few holes through the middle, look for Robson to dart from dummy-half and look dangerous throughout the game.

The favourite: Newcastle are favourites to win this one at their own home ground.

My tip: This should be a tight contest given the form both teams are in. Both of their defences haven't been stellar and despite the positional difference on the ladder, you never know what you might get with the Cowboys. They have challenged a lot of teams throughout the season but on many occasions just can't get the job done. It was the same last week as they lost in heartbreaking fashion. The Knights just scraped home against Manly in a comeback last round, but they will hope to be a bit more convincing in this one. The Knights should win this one at home, but it won't be easy for them. Knights by 6. 

1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Starford To'a 3. Enari Tuala 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Hymel Hunt 6. Blake Green 7. Mitchell Pearce 8. David Klemmer 9. Kurt Mann 10. Jacob Saifiti 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 12. Aidan Guerra 13. Mitchell Barnett 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Herman Ese'ese 16. Josh King 17. Pasami Saulo

1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Tom Opacic 22. Justin O'Neill 5. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 6. Ben Hampton 7. Michael Morgan 8. Josh Mcguire 14. Reuben Cotter 10. Jordan McLean 11. Mitchell Dunn 12. Coen Hess 13. Jason Taumalolo 15. John Asiata 17. Francis Molo 20. Corey Jensen 21. Jake Granville

Referees: Adam Gee; Sideline Officials: Belinda Sharpe, Dave Munro; Video Referees: Jared Maxwell, Bryan Norrie;