As a number of the nib Newcastle Knights players have mentioned, the Melbourne Storm is the benchmark team in the competition this season.
“They are up the top for a reason,” Trent Hodkinson agreed.
“They have got some quality players at the moment so it will be a big test for us.
“Coming off a high with three wins in a row, confidence is definitely up but we need to back it up and have a good game.”
A stat the Knights should be proud of against the ladder leaders is their win rate at home.
Newcastle have won ten out of their 16 matches against the Storm at McDonald Jones Stadium and Hodkinson knows it will again be one of their biggest challenges this season.
“They have got some quality players and some big players but we’ve just got to take it as another week and another player opposite,” Hodkinson commented.
“We have got to go in as if it’s another game and focus on ourselves.
“We need a big start just like last week against the (Parramatta) Eels and maintain that intensity throughout the 80 minutes.”
Footy action is back at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday with three games in action, gates open at 10.30am.
