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No other Round 10 fixture has the same disparity in recent form as the one between the Newcastle Knights and Canterbury Bulldogs. Join us for live scores and commentary from 3.00pm AEST
The Knights, who are high at 5th on the ladder, are in a downward spiral after back-to-back to losses including a 30-point loss to the Raiders last weekend.
By contrast, the 11th placed Bulldogs are skyrocketing, earning their third consecutive win last round against the Warriors with 2012 Dally M winner Ben Barba hitting stride to put the rest of the league on notice.
They were down ten at halftime after conceding the first three tries of the game, but staged a comeback scoring three times in the second half to win by eight.
Six spots separate these two teams on the NRL ladder, but that gap is only one win, and after the shellacking the Knights received last weekend there is only a one point-per-game difference between the sides’ defensive record.
Last week’s game against the Raiders was a new low for the Knights, who were up by 14 early before allowing 44 unanswered points.
Their left flank was particularly embarrassed, with centre Timana Tahu and winger James McManus continually victimised by Blake Ferguson.
That performance has led to dramatic changes this week by coach Wayne Bennett, dropping Tahu and vice-captain Chris Houston from the side in an effort to light a fire under the rest of his playing squad.
In Canterbury the news is far more positive. Front-rowers James Graham (suspension) and Sam Kasiano (leg injury) return to the side, as well as centre Krisnan Inu, who sat out for five weeks after being suspended for his tackle on Greg Inglis.
The last time these two matched up was in Round 22 last year, and the Bulldogs handily defeated the Knights 26-10, with the game over early thanks to stellar play from Barba and Josh Reynolds.
Akuila Uate did make an impression for the Knights, grabbing two late tries.
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