McDonald Jones Stadium will play host to Sunday's NRL game between Newcastle Knights and Canberra Raiders. The game kicks off at 4:05 pm with Newcastle Knights heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Newcastle Knights vs. Canberra Raiders game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday September 10, 2023 at 4:05 pm

Where: McDonald Jones Stadium

Bet: Bet On This Match HERE

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders Odds

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders Preview

Week one of the playoffs concludes with a daunting road trip for a faltering Canberra Raiders outfit, attempting to prevent Newcastle Knights from chalking up a ninth straight victory.

The Knights’ revival has been one of the great stories of 2023, beating several Top 8 rivals and destroying also-rans while scoring almost 40 points per game and conceding only 13 on the club’s longest winning streak in more than two decades.

Kalyn Ponga and a blockbusting three-quarter line have been at the forefront, but every player on the team sheet has played an integral role.

Despite missing six key players last week, the Knights surged home to beat the Dragons 32-12 in Wollongong and seal fifth spot.

The Knights welcome Ponga, Jackson Hastings and Lachlan Fitzgibbon back into their starting side, as well as rested trio Tyson Frizell, Dane Gagai and Phoenix Crossland.

Few sides have hit the finals in worse shape in recent times than the Raiders. Winning just two (against the lowly Tigers and Bulldogs, unconvincingly) of their last seven, the Green Machine followed up a gritty 29-18 loss to the Broncos with a pivotal 24-6 defeat at Cronulla after Seb Kris was sent off.

A minus-137 points differential tells part of the story for Ricky Stuart’s Raiders, but taking the 12th-ranked defence in the competition into the finals is their biggest concern – while only four teams have scored less points.

In the Raiders’ only change, James Schiller is the surprise choice to replace the suspended Kris on the wing, with Jarrod Croker, Albert Hopoate and Xavier Savage all in the reserves.

The Knights have won five of their last seven against the Raiders, including a 24-14 home upset in Round 4 and an utterly dominant 28-6 victory in Canberra just six weeks ago with Ponga in dazzling form.

The Raiders’ biggest strength is holding on in close games – they’ve predominantly won thrillers or lost big throughout 2023 and there’s no shortage of game-breakers in their ranks.

As a club the Raiders have a fair bit more recent finals experience, too: 11 games (six wins) in the past six seasons to the Knights’ two games (zero wins) in the past nine seasons.

But stemming the irresistible attacking force of the Knights for long periods shapes as a massive task the Raiders are ill-equipped for, particularly with star forwards Josh Papali’i and Corey Horsburgh sidelined.

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