Bulldogs.com.au takes a look at five key stats ahead of Saturday's game with the Newcastle Knights.
#1: RIGHT EDGE EXPOSED
The Newcastle Knights right edge of Akuila Uate and Dane Gagai have been exposed in 2015 with 49 break causes, 44 try causes and 81 missed tackles coming from these two players.
The Knights have conceded the second most break causes (266) and try causes (230) in the NRL with Uate and Gagai contributing 18% of the teams total break causes and 19% of the teams total try causes in 2015.
It’s an area of concern for the Knights especially when their opposite numbers this week, Josh Morris and Curtis Rona have combined for 29 tries (33% of the Bulldogs total team tries in 2015) and 31 line breaks (34% of the total line breaks made by the Bulldogs in 2015) between them for the season.
#2: BOMBS AWAY
The Newcastle Knights are ranked number three in the NRL for bombs as their choice of kick.
The Knights have kicked 102 bombs this year from a total of 402 kicks they have placed in 2015.
This equates to 25% of their total kicks and Tyrone Roberts leads the way with 46.
The Bulldogs back five will need to be on come Saturday night especially with a kick defused rate of 72.3% (4th worse)
#3: SLOW STARTERS
The Newcastle Knights have conceded the second most points in the NRL with 562, averaging 25.5 points scored against them per game.
The Knights first 20 minutes has been their downfall all year with 170 points and 31 tries from their 22 matches been scored in this period to have them ranked number one in both areas.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are ranked number one for tries scored in the first 20 minutes alongside the Broncos and ranked number two for points scored in the first quarter.
#4: BACK 5 A MIXED BAG
The Newcastle Knights back five have delivered a mixed bag in 2015 and there are some stats that match.
The Knights are ranked number two in the NRL for kick return metres, averaging 114.1m per game, ranked number three in the NRL for run metres and runs, fifth in the NRL for tackle breaks and fourth in the NRL for line-breaks, but on the flip side have conceded the fifth most errors in the NRL with 98 and have the second worse kick defuse rate in the NRL with 71.2%.
Only time will tell what Mamo, Uate, Gagai, Mata’utia and Ross will deliver in round 25 against the Bulldogs.
#5: OLD BOYS RECORD
The Knights final home game of the season has traditionally been known as ‘Old Boys’ day and the results have certainly fallen the way of the home side.
The Knights have won 12 of the past 15 ‘Old Boys’ days, including seven victories where the Knights have scored 40 or more points.
The Bulldogs last played on ‘Old Boys’ day back in 2000 and the result fell the way of the home side, a 28-16 win.
The Knights will have an added incentive this week to make it three wins in a row and 13 from the past 16 final home games with Captain Kurt Gidley playing his 250th NRL match and saying farewell to the Knights faithful.
