Ultimate Guide: Tigers change bench, key information

Author: Newcastle Knights
Timestamp: Tue 17 Mar 2020, 04:16 PM

The nib Newcastle Knights will be looking to make it two from two against the Wests Tigers on Sunday afternoon.

Adam O'Brien has retained the same 17 that triumphed 20-0 over the Warriors last Saturday.

The Tigers are still without Moses Mbye and Luke Brooks due to injury in a match that will be played behind closed doors at Leichardt Oval.

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS v WESTS TIGERS

Date: Sunday, March 22

Kick-off: 4.05pm

Venue: Leichardt Oval

FOLLOW THE ACTION

If you can't catch the game on TV or radio, the Knights will be blogging the game at newcastleknights.com.au.

Watch KP's try: Every angle, every call

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Played: 28

Knights: 13

Tigers: 15

TEAMS

Knights

1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Edrick Lee, 3. Enari Tuala, 4. Gehamat Shibasaki, 5. Hymel Hunt, 6. Kurt Mann, 7. Mitchell Pearce, 8. David Klemmer, 9. Jayden Brailey, 10. Daniel Saifiti, 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 12. Mitch Barnett, 13. Herman Ese'ese, 14. Connor Watson, 15. Jacob Saifiti, 16. Tim Glasby 17. Aidan Guerra,

Update: Pasami Saulo, Starford To'a, Mason Lino and Sione Mata'utia have been omitted from the squad.

Tigers

1. Corey Thompson, 2. David Nofoaluma, 3. Joseph Leilua, 4. Adam Doueihi, 5. Robert Jennings, 6. Benji Marshall, 7. Josh Reynolds, 8. John Aloiai, 9. Billy Walters, 10. Alex Twal, 11. Luke Garner, 12. Luciano Leilua, 13. Elijah Taylor, 14. Thomas Mikaele, 16. Zane Musgrove, 17. Chris Lawrence, 18. Michael Chee-Kam.

Update: Paul Momirovski is out, with Michael Chee-Kam joining the bench. Matt Eisenhuth, Oliver Clark and Tommy Talau have also dropped off the list.

FOCUS ON DEFENCE

Finishing the first round of the season atop the premiership ladder for the fourth time in history, the Knights will be determined to continue their strong start to life under new coach Adam O’Brien.

Making great strides in defence to hold the Warriors to nil, the Knights showed tremendous resilience to deny their opponents with a number of try-saving efforts in the dying stages of the match.

Becoming just the 14th team in the club’s proud history to hold an opponent scoreless last weekend, coach O’Brien will be hoping his players can stand alongside only two other Newcastle teams - 1997 and 1989 - to record multiple shutouts in a season.

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WELCOME TO LEICHARDT OVAL

Facing off against the joint venture for only the second time at Leichardt Oval, the Knights will have their sights set on spoiling the Tigers’ homecoming.

Going down 17-16 in their last visit to the legendary ground nine years ago - cruelled by a Robbie Farah one-pointer in golden point - Sunday afternoon will be the first opportunity for more than half the side to play a first-grade match at the venue.

Prior to Balmain merging with Western Suburbs at the turn of the century, the Knights managed two wins from eight appearances against the Tigers at Leichardt Oval.

MAKING AMENDS

Having been embarrassed by the Tigers when they faced off at Campbelltown Stadium late last season, the Knights will be determined to strike back on Sunday.

Blindsided 46-4 in a devastating loss that ended their hopes of playing finals football, the Knights have struggled against the joint venture in recent times winning one of their past six meetings.

Naming 11 men from the last meeting between the two sides, coach O’Brien can expect a strong response as the side looks to open the season with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2018.

KNIGHTS STAT ATTACK

Kalyn Ponga made the most metres (235) and runs (26) of any player over the first round of the premiership.

The Knights have opened a season with back-to-back wins on 10 occasions.

HELP US HELP YOU

TIGERS STAT ATTACK

David Nofoaluma has a great strike rate at Leichardt Oval - scoring 11 tries from 18 appearances.

Contrary to the belief that opposition teams struggle to win at the Tigers’ spiritual home ground, the Tigers hold a 44% success rate at Leichardt Oval over the past five years - winning eight of their past 18 matches.