FRIDAY MARCH 12
Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs, 6.00pm at McDonald Jones Stadium
Predicted Knights team: 1 Tex Hoy 2 Starford To’a 3 Bradman Best 4 Gehamat Shibasaki 5 Hymel Hunt 6 Kurt Mann 7 Mitchell Pearce 8 David Klemmer 9 Jayden Brailey 10 Daniel Saifiti 11 Mitch Barnett 12 Tyson Frizell 13 Connor Watson 14 Phoenix Crossland 15 Pasami Saulo 16 Jacob Saifiti 17 Sauaso Sue
Team Tips: Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga is out with a shoulder injury potentially until Round 4, with Tex Hoy set to start the season in the No.1 jersey. Five-eighth Blake Green is not due back from a knee injury until the second month of the season, with Kurt Mann tipped to partner Mitchell Pearce in the halves. Star recruit Tyson Frizell will start in the back row making up for the loss of Lachlan Fitzgibbon who is out with a shoulder injury indefinitely. The big change for the Knights in 2021 is Connor Watson’s switch from hooker utility to lock. Winger Hymel Hunt is set to overcome a hamstring issue in time for Round 1, while Edrick Lee is set to miss the opening rounds with a foot injury. His place will likely be taken by Starford To’A with Gehamat Shibasaki partnering Bradman Best in the centres. Phoenix Crossland is vying for a bench spot after starting at No.6 in the trial against the Storm. Jirah Momoisea (Achilles) is out indefinitely.
Predicted Bulldogs team: 1 Corey Allan 2 Nick Meaney 3 Nick Cotric 4 Will Hopoate 5 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 6 Jake Averillo 7 Kyle Flanagan 8 Dylan Napa 9 Jeremy Marshall-King 10 Jack Hetherington 11 Adam Elliott 12 Raymond Faitala-Mariner 13 Josh Jackson 14 Sione Katoa 15 Corey Waddell 16 Ofahiki Ogden 17 Renouf Atoni
Team Tips: Bulldogs’ star recruit Nick Cotric will make his return from an ankle injury to partner Will Hopoate in the centres. Hopoate shifts from fullback to accommodate signing Corey Allan at the back. Jake Averillo is set to overcome an elbow complaint to partner star halfback recruit Kyle Flanagan in the halves. Dylan Napa (knee), Jeremy Marshall-King (foot) and Raymond Faitala-Mariner (ankle) are all due to play in Round 1. The Bulldogs will be without Luke Thompson until Round 5 due to suspension, while winger Jayden Okunbor is not due back until mid-late season from a knee injury. Fellow outside back Christian Crichton will miss the season with a knee injury.