Newcastle Knights v Cronulla Sharks
Date: Sunday, May 15
Venue: Hunter Stadium
Kick-off: 9.40am
Teams:
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
1. Nick Meaney, 2. Dean Kouka-Smith, 3. Heath Gibbs, 4. Kainoa Gudgeon, 5. Matt Soper-Lawler, 6. Jake McNamara, 7. Jack Cogger (c), 8. Tyrone Amey, 9. Nick Newman, 10. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, 11. Eddy Tuilotolava, 12. Sam Stone, 13. Braden Robson. Interchange: 14. Zac Hosking, 15. Tom Starling, 16. Pasami Saulo, Jayden Butterfield.
CRONULLA SHARKS
1. Will Kennedy, 2. Sione Katoa, 3. Keenan Yorston, 4. Lachlan Stein, 5. Josh Tuilagi, 6. Jack Williams, 7. Rhys Davies, 8.Tepa Fuiavailili, 9. Jayden Brailey ©, 10. Jaimin Jolliffe, 11. Jesse Savage, 12. Ash Nisbet, 13. Jayden Mcdonogh. Interchange: 14. Daniel Vasquez, 15. Brock Ilett, 16. Zac Faulkner, 17. Billy Magoulias.
Match Analysis:
The NYC Newcastle Knights return to Hunter Stadium in Round 10 to take on the Cronulla Sharks.
The Knights’ winning run came to a halt in Round 9 when the young side was overpowered by the Sydney Roosters.
But with just a win away from second position, the seventh placed Knights aim to use their home ground advantage as inspiration for a victory over the in-form Cronulla Sharks.
Refreshed from the weekend’s break, coach Todd Lowrie says the side has benefitted from quality training sessions throughout the week.
“We trained Monday and Tuesday this week and had a few days off at the end of last week as well as the weekend. The boys have come back in pretty good shape which is good,” he said.
In a positive sign for the Club, a number of under 18s SG Ball Knights will make the progression to NYC and will play their first game with the side this weekend.
Heath Gibbs and Passami Saulo will play their maiden match in the U20s competition with SG Ball hooker Tom Starling re-joining the team.
“A couple of the 18s boys are coming up after finishing their season and having a week or two off,” he said.
“A couple of those guys will come straight into our team, which is a credit to them.
“They have done really well.
“It’s good for them they have forced their way into the team straight after their season so I’m looking forward to seeing how they go.”
Once again, the Knights turn the attention on themselves rather than focusing on the opposition.
“As long as we can play well and know what we have to do, we will begin to stop them,” he said
The Cronulla Sharks, who played a catch up game over the weekend, will be no easy test for the Knights according to Lowrie.
“They are going well and have a lot of 20-year-old kids in their team who have been with the 20s team for a few years,” he said.
“It will be good to play at home again.”
Where it will be won:
Defence.
“Having a lot of guys in their team that have been in the system a couple of years, they do things really well,” Lowrie said.
“We will have to defend well.
“Our defensive work will have to be on song.
“They attack really well and have some really good ball carriers in their team.
“They shift the ball really well and will have to be on their game defensively.”
