With a top-four finish now out of the equation, a home game in the first week of the finals is the goal for the Knights over the final two weeks of the regular season.
To do that they need to win their remaining two games and hope either the Rabbitohs (one loss) or the Raiders (two losses) do them a favour.
The Dragons, on the other hand, are languishing in 13th position. Possibly the only good news for them is they cannot slip any lower.
These two sides both lost last weekend, with the combined losing margin of 59 points a real concern for both clubs.
Match: Knights v Dragons
Round 19 -
home Team
Knights
6th Position
away Team
Dragons
13th Position
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
The rundown
Team news
Knights: Tex Hoy is out with a hamstring injury, with Mason Lino starting at five-eighth. Pasami Saulo also dropped out of the squad 24 hours before kick-off.
Gehamat Shibasaki replaces Edrick Lee in Newcastle's 21-man squad after the club had a player exemption approved on Friday. Lee will miss the match to attend to a private matter.
Josh King and Tautau Moga were the two players omitted an hour before the match.
Kalyn Ponga will return from a rest at fullback but hooker Kurt Mann is suspended. Chris Randall starts at dummy-half and Phoenix Crossland joins the interchange. Hymel Hunt has earned a start at centre and Mitch Barnett will return at lock with Jacob Saifiti dropping to the pine and Josh King at 18th man.
The Knights have won their past four games at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Dragons: Euan Aitken and Adam Clune are out with hamstring injuries, with Brayden Wiliame to start in the centres, Ben Hunt at halfback, Cameron McInnes at hooker, Tariq Sims in the second row, Jackson Ford at lock and Tyrell Fuimaono on the interchange.
Eddie Blacker and Jayden Sullivan were the two players left out an hour before the match.
Young centre Max Feagai will make his debut from the interchange. The Dragons have won eight of their past 10 games against the Knights.
Match: Knights v Dragons
Round 19 -
home Team
Knights
away Team
Dragons
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Knights is number 1 Kalyn PongaFullback for Dragons is number 1 Matthew Dufty
-
Winger for Knights is number 5 Starford To'aWinger for Dragons is number 2 Jordan Pereira
-
Centre for Knights is number 3 Enari TualaCentre for Dragons is number 4 Zac Lomax
-
Centre for Knights is number 4 Hymel HuntCentre for Dragons is number 20 Brayden Wiliame
-
Winger for Knights is number 22 Gehamat ShibasakiWinger for Dragons is number 5 Cody Ramsey
-
Five-Eighth for Knights is number 20 Mason LinoFive-Eighth for Dragons is number 6 Corey Norman
-
Halfback for Knights is number 7 Mitchell PearceHalfback for Dragons is number 9 Ben Hunt
Forwards
-
Prop for Knights is number 8 David KlemmerProp for Dragons is number 8 Kaide Ellis
-
Hooker for Knights is number 9 Chris RandallHooker for Dragons is number 13 Cameron McInnes
-
Prop for Knights is number 10 Daniel SaifitiProp for Dragons is number 10 Paul Vaughan
-
2nd Row for Knights is number 11 Lachlan Fitzgibbon2nd Row for Dragons is number 11 Tyson Frizell
-
2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Aidan Guerra2nd Row for Dragons is number 14 Tariq Sims
-
Lock for Knights is number 13 Mitchell BarnettLock for Dragons is number 12 Jackson Ford
Interchange
-
Interchange for Knights is number 14 Phoenix CrosslandInterchange for Dragons is number 15 Josh Kerr
-
Interchange for Knights is number 15 Jacob SaifitiInterchange for Dragons is number 16 Blake Lawrie
-
Interchange for Knights is number 16 Herman Ese'eseInterchange for Dragons is number 17 Max Feagai
-
Interchange for Knights is number 17 Sione Mata'utiaInterchange for Dragons is number 19 Tyrell Fuimaono
Match Officials
- Referee: Grant Atkins
- Touch Judge: Dave Munro
- Touch Judge: Jon Stone
- Senior Review Official: Steve Chiddy
Last updated:
Key match-up
Mitchell Pearce v Adam Clune: Pearce will play his 300th NRL game this year if the Knights make it as far as the grand final. For the Knights to be any chance of achieving that, the man known as Junior needs to be at his best. Clune, on the other hand, has proven he belongs in the NRL in a breakout 2020 season.
Stat attack
The Knights (36) and Dragons (31) missed a combined 67 tackles and conceded 79 points last weekend. This from the sides that rank numbers one and two in the "most tackles made" stat for 2020.
