No bigger Test awaits the Newcastle Knights than when they welcome reigning NRL premiers, and arguably one of the most consistent teams of the decade, the Sydney Roosters, to their backyard this Friday night.
After a run of five straight losses following their Round 1 win over the Cronulla Sharks, the Knights have returned to form, winning four straight matches including last week’s 45-12 demolition of the Dragons, in what was coach Nathan Brown’s 100th win as an NRL coach.
They led by 28-0 at half-time and while they allowed the shellshocked Dragons to score two tries in the second half, they would keep their foot on the pedal to register their most significant victory for a very long time.
Forefront to their win on Sunday was the form of their two chief playmakers, Kalyn Ponga and Mitchell Pearce, with the former registering 26 individual points and the latter emerging as a serious candidate for the New South Wales number seven guernsey.
Kalyn Ponga of the Knights. (AAP Image/Brendon Thorne)
This Friday night’s clash against his old side, the Chooks, shapes as his last chance to stake his claim for the jumper which he has worn intermittently since his debut in the third game in 2008.
Without the pressure of playing in a glamour club like the Roosters, Pearce flourished in his early days at Newcastle before suffering a pectoral injury which would rule him out of contention for the Origin series last year.
Watching the Blues win just their second series since 2005 from the sidelines must have been frustrating for the son of former Blues coach Wayne Pearce, who also missed their other series win in 2014 due to poor form and disciplinary issues.
Coach Brad Fittler will be watching with keen interest as he will have to name the side for Game 1, to be played at Suncorp Stadium on June 5, next week.
Meantime, the Sydney Roosters will be reeling after surrendering the points for just the second time this season when it lost to the Brisbane Broncos by 15-10 in the sunshine capital last Friday night.
While the Chooks managed to score the first try of the match inside the first ten minutes, during which their soon-to-retire halfback Cooper Cronk was in the sin bin, they would not cross the line again for the rest of the match.
Cooper Cronk (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
A last-ditch attempt at a match-winning try in the dying minutes was stopped when Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was pinged for an obstruction on Broncos fullback Darius Boyd, which resulted in the ball being turned over to the hosts, giving them the victory.
Coach Trent Robinson has said that he hopes the Roosters will learn from that defeat, and he will have them primed to hit back against the Knights in front of what is expected to be a massive crowd in Steel City.
Prior to that defeat, the Roosters had won eight consecutive matches, sending a message to the rest of the competition that they are seriously intent on achieving what no team has done in a quarter of a century – successfully defending a premiership.
Cronk has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2019 season, and so the Chooks will be out to ensure that he departs the game a winner, something they couldn’t do when Fittler bowed out at the end of the 2004 season.
Their recent record against the Knights is very impressive, having won eleven of their last thirteen against them including the last six in succession dating back to 2015.
Further, they’ve only lost four times in the Steel City since the turn of the century, last losing in 2014.
While the Newcastle Knights do face a monumental task against the reigning premiers, an upset win in front of their home fans on Friday night will not only do wonders for their confidence, but also prove that they are genuine finals contenders after a couple of lean years.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Tipped the chooks to win but after last weeks Broncos performance and also the Knights recent form am not prepared to write off the Knights like I did the Broncos last week. Lesson learnt. This will be the moment of truth for the Knights on whether the comeback is real. Its going to be their toughest game all year.
Nat
Roar Guru
What bias do you refer to champ? When your finished giving the missus a "defensive backhand" explain to me how players, coaches and clubs can sue a selector? Did we go a little far trying to make a bad point? You haven't made a point yet and missed again with this one my little buddy.
Liz
Guest
I go for both the roosters and knights....i have been following the knights since Pearce has been there....to me its like a cinderella story...either team wins on Friday i will be happy cause my boys are scattered in both teams. I believe Pearce has grown up and found his mojo cause he's preducing some great footy..i would like to see him win just one origin game series to put towards his list of success. May the best team win!
db
Guest
The referees for the game are Ben Cummins and Peter Gough.
Richard POWELL
Roar Rookie
Agree with your comment about the Knight's opposition last 4 games. The big question is the Roosters fitness and mindset; and how many of them are going to be more focused on SOO? The Roosters were tired last week. Was it the travel, lack of training. or the start of a mid-season slump??? I think it will be a tight game. The Knight's forwards can match the Roosters if they have the belief, discipline and ruthlessness. Coin toss??
Neel
Roar Guru
I tip the chooks to win but the Knights could pull off an upset.
DrewToo
Roar Rookie
Pearce will never make another SOO side. He's had his chance.
Bazza
Roar Rookie
I’m not a fan of either club but I can’t see the Roosters losing 2 weeks in a row. They’re too good a side. The Knights haven’t exactly been playing top 8 sides to get their last 4 wins either. One of the things I have noticed over the last few weeks is that the Roosters haven’t scored much, if at all, in the second half of their games. Having said that, I think the Roosters will win decisively. I also think Pearce has had his day in Origin and has no chance of being selected. Too many good halves ahead of him. I’ll also add, there’s absolutely no way Cleary should be picked. Not only is his form down, but more importantly, his confidence is down. As the great Jack Gibson used to say “talent is secondary to whether players are confident “.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I'm still waiting for your Roar article on how Fulton sabotaged the NSW SOO teams chances of winning for years by choosing inferior players instead of Manly ones. It's a massive story and could lead to him being sued by all the coaches and players he let down along with the other clubs and the NSWRL. Don't you realise that your bias leads you to some very silly conclusions?
Knight Vision
Guest
The Knights 4 game winning streak has been against lower teams on the ladder or tems out of form, also a very short turn around for the Knights coming up against the Roosters bouncing back from a disappointing loss will see the Roosters destroy the Knights. Knights are a new team with new systems and are a couple of players short of being a top tier outfit. If a Sutton or Perenara are anywhere near this game the Knights must also cope with conductors ( referees ) that have a preconceived idea of the outcome. Roosters by 12+
Nat
Roar Guru
I came down from Cotton Tree, if I had the option I would live in the city either. The upside is going to most games and only 20min home again.
Nat
Roar Guru
This is just banter. However, I do enjoy the highlighting the hypocrisy, contradictions and utter BS you come out with. But you do make it very easy.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
if you say so, I know little of Brisbane so you have an advantage. Over the past 20 years have developed an aversion to large cities and keep away from them
Nat
Roar Guru
You have to feel for Hall, that was a cracker to find yourself in as your first NRL experience. I've got huge wraps on him and believe he's better than Tupou everyday.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
You don't know him very well I'm afraid. Serial offender.
Nat
Roar Guru
No, really? That's not really an excuse. There are literally dozens of facilities around Brisbane and many of those close to the CBD. The city just accommodated 16 teams for all their requirements the week previous.
Nat
Roar Guru
They became flat, they didn’t start that way and it’s because the Broncos had 60% of the ball which ended with about 10 more sets and nearly 1/3 of their meters gained were carrying Chooks players (PCM). That would put most teams on the back foot. If it was played last week and the Broncos had the same attitude – same result because the Broncos were much better than Canberra the week before just the final score flattered them with a late flurry. Just because they lost doesn’t mean the y played poorly, if anything 5pts is a credit to them. If all things were equal, there would be one team in Sydney so the travel was distributed evenly.
db
Guest
The word this morning is that Tupou will return to the side with Hall dropping out.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
It is not a matter of accommodation Nat, what about training facilities and all the other things that go with the prep for a big game?
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Nat, I was actually worried about that game considering the very short turn around and the tough game against the Raiders and the last minute replacements they had to make. Going to be interesting if they play Ryan Hall in the staring line up again, he needs game time under his belt after such a long lay off. Angus Creighton is also starting to fit in with the team & make his presence felt as well.