The Newcastle Knights will be looking to get their fifth straight win by defeating the Bulldogs on Friday night at the McDonald Jones Stadium.
The Knights experienced tremendous success over the past month and have earned their way into the top eight. A win over the Bulldogs could get them higher than the fifth-placed Brisbane Broncos on the NRL Ladder.
The Knights’ recent wins have been by low margins, the highest being six points. Though they’ve been doing well recently, their wins have been labored, making us doubt their ability to handle the Bulldogs.
On the other hand, the Bulldogs are coming off a victory against the Dragons, winning by a 32-point margin, their highest this season. This win came at the right time for Canterbury who were desperate for a victory after losing two games in a row.
The two sides met last year, with two big wins for the Knights. However, the Bulldogs and the Knights met once this season in Round 7, a thrilling match that ended with a 24-point win for the Bulldogs. The Knights clearly made adjustments and they’ve been unbeaten since but with the Bulldogs’ incredible Round 12 performance, we can be sure the Knights will have a long night ahead of them.
We see this outcome repeating itself, only with a smaller margin this time.
Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs Head-to-Head
Newcastle Knights Form Guide: (LWWWW) The Newcastle Knights are ranked eighth on the NRL Ladder
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs Form Guide: (WWLLW) The Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs are ranked 11th on the NRL Ladder
Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs Team News
Newcastle Knights
Injured: Bradman Best (hamstring), Tyson Gamble (foot), Kalyn Ponga (foot)
Suspended: none
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
Injured: Christ Patolo (knee), Viliame Kikau (finger), Karl Oloapu (neck)
Suspended: none
Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs Predicted Lineup
Newcastle Knights Predicted Lineup:
Backs: David Armstrong, Enari Tuala, Dane Gagai, Krystian Mapapalangi, Greg Marzhew, Jack Cogger, Jackson Hastings
Forwards: Jacob Saifiti, Jayden Brailey, Leo Thompson, Kai Pearce-Paul, Dylan Lucas, Adam Elliott
Interchange: Phoenix Crossland, Tyson Frizell, Daniel Saifiti, Brodie Jones
Reserves: Thomas Cant, Mat Croker
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs Predicted Lineup:
Backs: Connor Tracey, Blake Wilson, Bronson Xerri, Jacob Kiraz, Josh Addo-Carr, Drew Hutchison, Toby Sexton
Forwards: Max King, Reed Mahoney, Samuel Hughes, Jacob Preston, Jaeman Salmon, Kurt Mann
Interchange: Bailey Hayward, Josh Curran, Kurtis Morrin, Paosa Faamusili
Reserves: Lipoi Hopoi, Harry Hayes
Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs Prediction
Prediction: Bulldogs by 8 points
