Saturday, August 8, 5.30 PM, Round 13, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Newcastle Knights take on Wests Tigers NRL Match Preview

We aren’t too far away from finals now and each round becomes more and more important, this match fixture is of utmost importance, for the Knights if they win it will help them secure a spot in the top 8 climbing higher on the ladder, the Wests Tigers if they lose it could mean the season, they are still a chance if they win this match but recent form is against them, despite not being able to finish games they have selected a really strong team for this matchup including the return of Russell packer and Joseph Leilua the West Tigers won’t be short of fighting spirit, the Knights may be a lot stronger in attack with the latest inclusion of Blake green, an exciting match this will be.

The Newcastle Knights

Newcastle Knights 2020 squad list excluding above changes below;

 
1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Starford To’a 3. Enari Tuala 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Hymel Hunt 6. Blake Green 7. Mitchell Pearce 8. David Klemmer 9. Kurt Mann 10. Jacob Saifiti 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 12. Aidan Guerra 13. Mitchell Barnett

Reserves: 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Josh King 16. Herman Ese’ese 17. Brodie Jones 18. Chris Randall 19. Tex Hoy 20. Mason Lino 21. Jirah Momoisea

Coach: Adam O’Brien

The Wests Tigers

Wests Tigers 2020 squad list excluding above changes below;

 
1. Adam Doueihi 2. David Nofoaluma 3. Joseph Leilua 4. Tommy Talau 5. Asu Kepaoa 6. Luke Brooks 7. Benji Marshall 8. Josh Aloiai 9. Moses Mbye 10. Russell Packer 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Sam McIntyre 13. Matt Eisenhuth

Reserves: 14. Thomas Mikaele 15. Shawn Blore 16. Chris Lawrence 17. Billy Walters 18. Alex Seyfarth 19. Luke Garner 20. Josh Reynolds 21. Elijah Taylor

Coach: Michael Maguire

LAST TIME THEY MET

The last time these two teams met the Wests Tigers at home were beaten 24-42. Previously, in earlier years and most recent form, 29 matches played between the Wests Tigers and the Knights favour the Wests Tigers winning 15, all other statistics indicate this should be a tight match fixture resulting either way.

WHO WINS THIS ONE

THE ERL PREDICTION

Newcastle Knights for the win.

If we had to pick a line?

Wests Tigers +3.5