THURSDAY, APRIL 11th, 2024 JONES STADIUM, NEWCASTLE
Roosters Face Uphill Battle with Key Players Sidelined
The Roosters will seek redemption following their dramatic defeat to the Bulldogs last Friday night, yet they anticipate a formidable challenge as they take on the Knights.
For the Roosters, it was a tale of two halves – going into the break 26-0 after a dreadful display where disciple and sheer stupidity saw Dom Young sent off in the 26th minute.
Tale of Two Halves: Roosters’ Remarkable Comeback Amidst Adversity
Despite being reduced to 12 men for the second half (and 11 when Victor Radley was in the sin bin), the Roosters remarkably scored 26 points compared to the Bulldogs’ 4. This stark difference in performance left fans contemplating what might have transpired had they begun the match with greater intensity.
Injury Woes Continue for the Tri Colours
The Tri Colours will be without a number of their stars, including skipper James Tedesco and halfback Sam Walker, who both failed their HIAs in the loss, while winger Dom Young was sent off in the match and will now miss two matches after entering an early guilty plea to a Careless High Tackle charge.
With a number of other players also still side lined with injury and suspension, coach Trent Robinson has a difficult puzzle to solve this week, with the likes of Joey Manu a possibility to switch either to fullback or to play in the halves.
Roosters
1. Joseph Manu 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Michael Jennings 4. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii 5. Fetalaiga Pauga 6. Connor Watson 7. Luke Keary 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Nat Butcher 12. Angus Crichton 13. Victor Radley 14. Zach Dockar-Clay 15. Naufahu Whyte 16. Sitili Tupouniua 17. Terrell May 18. Egan Butcher 19. Lewis Murphy 20. Benaiah Ioelu 21. Hugo Savala 22. Siua Wong
The Knights on the other hand, got back on track last round, claiming their second win of the season after beating St George Illawarra in horrid conditions at McDonald Jones Stadium. While the Dragons struggled to ignite, the Knights thrived in the wet conditions, scoring five tries with apparent ease.
Knights Thrive in Wet Conditions Against Dragons
Following a two-week stint honing his skills in the NSW Cup, Jackson Hastings made a notable comeback with a commanding display in the No.7 jersey. Meanwhile, his halves partner Jack Cogger showcased precision with two try-assisting kicks, further highlighting their effective partnership.
Called up to the starting 17 to replace an injured Tyson Frizell (hamstring), Dylan Lucas made a big impact and will need to perform well again if the representative forward is unable to return this week.
As ever, the Knights were well led by skipper Kalyn Ponga, who picked up six Dally M votes for his part in the win, to hit the outright lead on the tally.
Knights
1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Thomas Jenkins 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Enari Tuala 6. Jack Cogger 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Adam Elliott 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Daniel Saifiti 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Mathew Croker 18. Jed Cartwright 19. Brodie Jones 20. Tyson Gamble 21. Will Pryce 22. Greg Marzhew
Referees: Gerard Sutton; Side line Officials: David Munro, Matt Noyen; Video Referees: Chris Butler;
The Knights have won eight of their past nine games at McDonald Jones Stadium.
The Roosters have won 12 of their past 14 games against the Knights.
The Knights have lost their past three Thursday night games.
Knights centre Bradman Best has scored nine tries in his past 11 games at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Crucial Matchup Statistics for Roosters vs. Knights
Prediction.
The Knights will need to take advantage of this disjointed Sydney line up to get an extremely rare win against Sydney this week with Newcastle searching for just their third win against the Roosters since 2015.
Newcastle has experienced inconsistency in their halves pairing, leading to slower starts than anticipated. However, a crucial development for the Knights is the resurgence of Kalyn Ponga in 2024. As the former Queensland fullback begins to shine, he is poised to serve as the driving force behind a Newcastle triumph. The Knights will capitalize on exploiting the Roosters’ unfamiliar defensive combinations, particularly with key positions affected by injuries.
Given the Roosters’ injuries in crucial positions and the home advantage for the Knights, I believe that as long as Ponga remains healthy, they are primed for victory.
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