The Newcastle Knights are set up for a blockbuster weekend in the NSWRL junior representative final series.

All four teams will compete for a spot in their respective deciders in what has been a stellar season thus far for the club’s pathways.

The SG Ball Cup side faces Manly at Henson Park at 1.30pm on Saturday 25 April, with either the Sydney Roosters or South Sydney awaiting the winner.

Newcastle coach Matt Lantry has named an unchanged line-up from the team that dismantled the Melbourne Storm 36-10 in possibly their most complete performance of 2026.

Manly finished in fourth position on the ladder at the end of the regular season and has enjoyed the previous week off after defeating South Sydney 36-30 in week one of the play-offs.

“They’re one of those sides that have continued to grow week-to-week, they have been outstanding particularly defensively,” he said.

“On our part, we have just been maintaining our own defensive-focused mentality and maximising our own opportunities through that when we get the ball.

“I feel like we really turned the corner in the Canberra match in that second half — we gained a lot of confidence off the back of that.

“We’ve been speaking to the boys all season about the Knights’ DNA and what it means.

“So, I can categorically say this team has young men with plenty of tomorrows in the game, which is exactly what Alan McMahon was looking for when the club was established.

“Through their behaviours and actions, our players are ticking the boxes of late… and we will look to continue that this weekend.”

In the Harold Matthews Cup, the Knights are coming off a 24-18 win over Parramatta.

They now tackle South Sydney at Leichhardt Oval.

The Rabbitohs find themselves in the preliminary final after a week one win over Penrith 33-28 in an edge-of-your-seat contest.

Souths finished just one win behind Newcastle at the end of the regular season in what shapes to be one of the highest-quality contests of the year.

The Knights remain relatively unchanged, with Ty Ennis joining an extended interchange after missing selection last weekend.

In the Tarsha Gale Cup, Newcastle continues to ride a wave of momentum, via a week one victory over Illawarra and a 24-22 upset of Canterbury in an epic encounter.

The Knights play Cronulla at Leichhardt Oval at 2.30pm in a replay of the opening fixture of the season, in which the Sharks got the money on the day 16-10 at Maitland Sportsground.

However, there’s a very different energy between the sides in round one and the ladies that will represent the jersey.

They impressed last week with their attack and their fluid movement of the football in their expansive style.

Cronulla enjoyed the week off after a close win over the Roosters Indigenous Academy.

As expected, Newcastle will take the same team into battle that was successful against Canterbury in a show of faith from coach Alicia Kate Hawke.

In the Lisa Fiaola Cup, the undefeated Knights meet the Central Coast Roosters in a local derby of sorts.

Newcastle was outstanding in its round four previous encounter with the Coasties, putting them away 36-14 at Mascot Oval.

Coach Gary Jones has made no changes to his line-up in a match where, if the Knights progress, they will face either the Bulldogs or the Eels in the decider.

Newcastle has never made four grand finals in all grades since the inception of the current format.

So, it shows the current pathways program is now paying dividends in 2026.

Not, just on team-based outcomes but in the improvement in individual development, which has been noticeable over the past 11 weeks.

The club remains on an upward trajectory under strong coaching and renewed leadership in the football department.

Good luck to all players, coaches and support staff wearing the red and blue this weekend.

Matches can be viewed via BarTv on NSWRLTV.

For more sports stories:

• Pecking away at Glohe, middle battle brewing in NEWRL
• Knights’ NRLW duo named in NSW Blues Origin squad
• Magpie muscle too strong for tenacious Tigers

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