How Does the 2020 Knights Draw Look?

Julian Vella takes a look at the Newcastle Knights draw for season 2020.

Newcastle Knights 2020 fixtures

Date	Home	Time/Results	Away	Venue
2020-03-14 15:00:00March 14, 2020	Knights	20 - 0	Warriors	McDonald Jones Stadium
2020-03-22 16:05:00March 22, 2020	Tigers	24 - 42	Knights	Leichhardt Oval
2020-05-31 16:05:00May 31, 2020	Panthers	14 - 14	Knights	Campbelltown Stadium
2020-06-07 16:05:00June 7, 2020	Raiders	18 - 34	Knights	Campbelltown Stadium
2020-06-13 17:30:00June 13, 2020	Knights	12 - 26	Storm	Industree Group Stadium
2020-06-18 19:50:00June 18, 2020	Knights	27 - 6	Broncos	Industree Group Stadium
2020-06-27 15:00:00June 27, 2020	Cowboys	32 - 20	Knights	Qld Country Bank Stadium
2020-07-05 16:05:00July 5, 2020	Sea Eagles	12 - 14	Knights	4 Pines Park
2020-07-12 16:05:00July 12, 2020	Knights	4 - 10	Eels	McDonald Jones Stadium
2020-07-18 17:30:00July 18, 2020	Rabbitohs	18 - 20	Knights	CommBank Stadium
2020-07-26 14:00:00July 26, 2020	Knights	12 - 18	Bulldogs	McDonald Jones Stadium
2020-08-02 16:05:00August 2, 2020	Storm	26 - 16	Knights	Sunshine Coast Stadium
2020-08-08 17:30:00August 8, 2020	Knights	44 - 4	Tigers	McDonald Jones Stadium
2020-08-16 14:00:00August 16, 2020	Knights	26 - 24	Sea Eagles	McDonald Jones Stadium
2020-08-23 16:05:00August 23, 2020	Knights	12 - 0	Cowboys	McDonald Jones Stadium
2020-08-29 15:00:00August 29, 2020	Warriors	36 - 6	Knights	Scully Park
2020-09-04 18:00:00September 4, 2020	Knights	38 - 10	Sharks	McDonald Jones Stadium
2020-09-12 19:35:00September 12, 2020	Roosters	42 - 12	Knights	Sydney Cricket Ground
2020-09-20 16:05:00September 20, 2020	Knights	42 - 18	Dragons	McDonald Jones Stadium
2020-09-25 18:00:00September 25, 2020	Titans	36 - 6	Knights	CBUS Super Stadium
2020-10-04 16:05:17October 4, 2020	Rabbitohs	46 - 20	Knights	Allianz Stadium

Analysis

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Newcastle will kick off their 2020 season at home once again after doing so for the past two seasons, this time though it won’t be in the dreaded Friday 6pm time slot, instead they’ll take on the Warriors on Saturday at 3pm which should help boost crowd numbers.

After that though the Knights will spend the majority of the season’s opening third on the road, with five of their next seven games on the road, although two of those games could be seen as ‘neutral venues’ as the Raiders have opted to take their home game against the Knights to Wagga Wagga, whilst the Knights Round 8 match in Magic Round will be counted as a home game for the Rabbitohs.

That Round 8 fixture against the Rabbitohs kicks off a difficult seven match run for the Knights as they face up against the last seasons’ top three sides the Roosters, Storm & Rabbitohs (twice), whilst also the Sharks, Panthers and Dragons who are all destined to be battling for the top 8 spot with the Knights.

The Knights’ last ten matches are more favourable with only the four matches against sides who made the top 8 last year, that being the Broncos (twice), Eels and Manly. Five of their last ten will also be at home, so despite there being no ‘easy games’ in the NRL, the Knights should be backing themselves to go on a good run to finish the year and push for a finals berth.

Overall the Knights will be happy with the draw they’ve been given, considering they only have to play the Roosters, Storm and Raiders once they can consider themselves very lucky. They’ll also enjoy the luxury of a good rest between matches, having only one ‘five day turn around’.