Wins have been hard to come by for the Bulldogs and Knights with both sides losing four of their past five matches.
The finals already look to have slipped away for 2023 but finishing the year strong will be a priority for Cameron Ciraldo at the Bulldogs and Adam O'Brien in Newcastle.
The Knights had a golden opportunity to knock off a Panthers side missing five Origin stars in Round 17 but were unable to get the job done and now find themselves five points outside the top eight with games against the Storm, Raiders, Rabbitohs and Sharks still to come.
The Bulldogs face an extremely tough month ahead with games against the Rabbitohs, Broncos and Panthers after this week's home clash against the Knights.
That home ground advantage at Accor Stadium could be worth its weight in gold given the Knights have won just one away game all season, a 14-12 win over Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval back in Round 2.
Team News
Bulldogs: Young gun Khaled Rajab gets his first run-on appearance, taking over at five-eighth from Karl Oloapu while Max King has come into the front row for Chris Patolo. Youngster Harrison Edwards returns from concussion on the bench. Raymond Faitala-Mariner played his first game in over a month last week in NSW Cup after being sidelined with illness and he is listed among the reserves. Jackson Topine comes onto the bench at the expense of Corey Waddell.
Knights: Centre Dane Gagai has succumbed to an injured foot he has been managing for several weeks and he is replaced in by Enari Tuala. Back-rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon returns from concussion so youngster Dylan Lucas makes way.
Match: Bulldogs v Knights
Round 18 -
home Team
Bulldogs
15th Position
away Team
Knights
13th Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Stat Attack
- Knights wingers Dom Young (16) and Greg Marzhew (10) have scored 26 tries between them this season compared to 12 for Bulldogs wingers Josh Addo-Carr (8) and Jacob Kiraz (4).
- No team has conceded more penalties this year than the Bulldogs, who on average are pinged 6.7 times per game.
- Led by Greg Marzhew and Dane Gagai, who have 184 tackle breaks between them, the Knights have been excellent at forcing missed tackles this year, averaging 38.8 tackle busts a game.
- The Bulldogs have won only one of their past five games at Accor Stadium.
- The Knights have won three of their past four games against the Bulldogs.
- The Bulldogs have conceded 107 points in their past three games.
- Knights centre Bradman Best has scored a try in his past three games against the Bulldogs.
- Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr has scored eight tries in 10 games against the Knights.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL. Originally published by NRL.com
