NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS v CANBERRA RAIDERS
Round 13, 2015 NYC Holden Cup
Date: Saturday June 6, 10.40am
Venue: Hunter Stadium
Teams:
KNIGHTS
1. Brock Lamb, 2. Fuaimamao Uta, 3. Josh Birch, 4. Braden Robson, 5. Ken Tofilau, 6. Jake McNamara, 7. Jack Cogger, 8. Josh King, 9. Danny Levi, 10. Daniel Saifiti, 11. Bradie Smith, 12. Ben Stone, 13. Luke Yates. Interchange: 14. Jack Mackin, 15. Tyrone Amey, 16. Roman Fepuleai, 17. Sam Apthorpe.
RAIDERS
1. Chevi Ellis, 2. Jack Hickson, 3. Brenko Lee, 4. Cameron Booth, 5. Lachlan Hurst, 6. Lachlan Lewis, 7. Lachlan Croker, 8. Tevita Pangai Junior, 9. Zac Woolford, 10. Morgan Boyle, 11. Jack Williams, 12. Jared McIlwrick, 13. Luke Bateman ©, 14. Dylan McGrath, 15. Jordan Aiono, 16. Brett Solomon, 17. Ezra Howe, 18. Kalani Going, 19. Cleveland McGhie, 20. Daniel Dole.
Match analysis:
The NYC Newcastle Knights launch into Saturday’s Round 13 match buoyed by a comprehensive win over the New Zealand Warriors the previous weekend.
The satisfying win was much needed after the young side struggled to find form in the previous weeks.
Coach Troy Prezet said the boys have a spring in their step and are aiming for back to back wins when they return to Hunter Stadium.
“We have had a really good week and the boys are looking forward to getting back home and hopefully building on what we had last week in front of a home crowd,” Pezet said.
Brock Lamb will again appear at fullback after spending most of the season in the halves.
"Brock enjoys running the ball and that’s one thing he did really well last week," he said.
"We need to find a way to get Jake McNamara into the team who has trained really well at hooker and some other spots for us.
"It's a way to give him his opportunity and keep our best players on the field."
The NYC Knights have made the most of their time this week which presented less time due to the travel to New Zealand.
"It’s been a pretty short preparation because we didn’t get back until Tuesday after the Warriors Sunday," he said.
"It’s been really sharp in the back end of the week."
Pezet is confident Newcastle is in the right frame of mind to outplay the Raiders but still remains wary of the side's strike players.
"Tevita Pangai Junior is a Knights junior who will be returning home and is a big strong boy so will have to do a good job on him," he said.
"There’s also Brenko Lee in number 3 who has scored plenty of tries this year and has played first grade in the past."
Where it will be won:
Defense.
“We turned up last week with a really good attitude to defence and we got rewarded for that,” Pezet said.
“We need to replicate that on Saturday.”
Newcastle Knights v Canberra Raiders/Mounties
Round 13: Saturday June 6
Gates Open: 10.30am
NYC: 10.40am
NSW Cup: 12.40pm
NRL Kick off: 3pm
TICKETS: BUY HERE
