Check out the match preview and prediction for the round 20 clash between the Knights and the Broncos.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Newcastle Knights Vs Brisbane Broncos
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium
Date: Saturday 20th July, 5:30pm
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Krystian Mapapalangi, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Bradman Best, 5. Greg Marzhew, 6. Will Pryce, 7. Jackson Hastings, 8. Daniel Saifiti, 9. Phoenix Crossland, 10. Leo Thompson, 11. Tyson Frizell, 12. Kai Pearce-Paul, 13. Adam Elliott, 14. Jayden Brailey, 15. Jacob Saifiti, 16. Jack Hetherington, 17. Dylan Lucas, 18. Tyson Gamble, 19. Mathew Croker, 20. Thomas Cant, 21. Fletcher Sharpe, 22. Thomas Jenkins
Broncos: 1. Tristan Sailor, 2. Corey Oates, 3. Kotoni Staggs, 4. Deine Mariner, 5. Jesse Arthars, 6. Ezra Mam, 7. Joshua Rogers, 8. Corey Jensen, 9. Billy Walters, 10. Xavier Willison, 11. Brendan Piakura, 12. Jordan Riki, 13. Kobe Hetherington, 14. Blake Mozer, 15. Tyson Smoothy, 16. Josiah Karapani, 17. Martin Taupau, 18. Vaa Semu, 19. Cory Paix, 20. Reece Walsh, 21. Selwyn Cobbo, 22. Patrick Carrigan, 23. Payne Haas, 24. Adam Reynolds
Referee: Chris Butler
Embed from Getty ImagesMATCHDAY PREVIEW
You’d almost have to write two different previews to cover this game. One where the Broncos’ Origin players play, and another where they don’t.
I mean, you could even go as far as to say a third one is required for whether or not Adam Reynolds plays.
Once Origin ends we enter the do-or-die part of the season. I genuinely think that this game has those ramifications.
It seems generally agreed upon that 13 wins is the magic number in this comp to make the finals. It’s the number that got the Raiders through last year, while 12 wasn’t enough for the Rabbitohs, Eels, and Cowboys.
Newcastle need five more wins to reach that number, with seven games left. They have to play Penrith away, the Sharks away, and Souths away during that time. If they can’t get the job done in this one against a severely out-of-form Broncos, it’d take a tremendous effort to make the finals from there.
Kalyn Ponga, Dane Gagai, and Bradman Best have all been named in the starting side, and will almost certainly back up from Wednesday’s Origin given the significance of this game.
Coming off a battering at Brookvale last week against the Sea Eagles, Newcastle will be desperate to prove their finals credentials against last year’s grand finalists.
For the Broncos, the requirement is six wins from their seven remaining games. Their run home isn’t awful, but fixtures against the Bulldogs, Dolphins, and Storm will mean they can’t afford to lose this one, finding themselves in a position with no room for error.
I can’t see a world where Kevin Walters rests any of his Origin players, despite not naming any of them in his starting 17. He’s simply not in a position where he can afford to. The luxury of waiting an extra week for players to hit 100% no longer applies to them.
This is do-or-die footy. And to think its only July!
Head-to-head stats can be found at Number Crunch Stats.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Check out all the NRL Predictions here.
Broncos by 6 points.
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