Newcastle SG Ball coach Matt Lantry is under no illusion of how tough this weekend’s test is as the Knights travel to Leichhardt Oval for round four of the NSWRL junior representative season.
His side went down by just four points against last year’s premiers Melbourne, with a small number of defensive lapses proving the difference in the result.
“I think defensively we’ve just discussed with the players this week where they need to be better, both technically and in our effort areas after Saturday, and it’s something that will be a major focus for us this week,” Lantry said.
The Knights face a third-placed Roosters outfit who is undefeated and coming off tight wins against the Panthers and Steelers in the opening two rounds, before following that up with a 52-0 belting of St George.
“The Roosters have been impressive thus far this season and we will need to show some improvement on last week,” Lantry added.
“We have come across a few injuries, too.
“We’ll be without Will Manning at this stage due to injury.
“We have a host of guys that can fill that role and that’s a decision we will come to collectively as a coaching group on Thursday night.”
- TIP: Knights, having learnt from their mistakes last week, to narrowly get the points on the road
In the Harold Matthews Cup, Newcastle, currently in second spot, will take on the Roosters, who is in fourth, in the curtain-raiser.
They have only dropped one game, going down 32-10 against highly-fancied Penrith in the season opener.
The Knights are expected to be without the services of in-form half Riley Rostron but otherwise expected to be as per program after they belted Melbourne 28-6 last week in an impressive display at the Lakeside Sporting Complex.
- TIP: Knights by 6
MATCH DETAILS
Leichhardt Oval – Saturday 28 February
- 12.30pm: Harold Matthews Cup – Knights v Roosters
- 2pm: SG Ball Cup – Knights v Roosters
WOMEN’S
Newcastle’s Lisa Fiola Cup side is set for a duel in round four as it tackles the third-placed and previously undefeated Central Coast Roosters.
The Knights were completely dominant against Melbourne last week in their best display of the season thus far.
However, it will be a very different assignment this weekend.
After defending the size of the Storm, they now face a Roosters outfit whose trademark is leg speed and agility, and the Knights are away from home in their first outing of 2026.
Sienna Brumby is Newcastle’s only inclusion at time of print, as she is expected to take her place in the second-row alongside the in-form Maddison-Renae Seumanutafa, who has been the standout performer in the pack thus far.
- TIP: Knights by 4
The Knights’ Tarsha Gale Cup team is set for its biggest test to date as well.
They face the Roosters Indigenous Academy side, who sits atop the competition in first place and is undefeated heading into round four.
After an improved performance last week, Brandy Simpson has taken the wing spot from Pandora Green, who has been pushed back to the interchange for Newcastle, while Kiri-Kowhai Ned makes her return for the Roosters and is expected to square off against Simpson.
The key for the Knights in this contest will be ball control and defending the Roosters’ offload capacity, as they are very dangerous in second-phase play.
Newcastle must be physical in the middle channel, keep the ball in play, back its fitness in this one, and force the Roosters’ possession down in their own quarter off a good kick chase.
- TIP: Knights by 6 in an upset
WOMEN’S FIXTURES
Mascot Oval – Saturday 1 March
- 10.30am: Lisa Fiola Cup – Knights v Central Coast Roosters
- Noon: Tarsha Gale Cup – Knights v Roosters Indigenous Academy
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- Bayliss deserves All Whites’ World Cup chance, says Milligan
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