With the ASADA drama during the week, the Knights took the field at Suncorp Stadium against Brisbane last week, minus forwards Jeremy Smith and Kade Snowden as well as regular five-eight Jarrod Mullen, missing with injury.

The absences of these players and the reshuffling of several positions were obvious as the Knights struggled to offer any kind of resistance against the Broncos who ran in nine tries to the Knights one.

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It was another big dip in a roller coaster of a year for the Knights but after similar heavy losses against the Titans and South Sydney in the past two months, the Knights have bounced back to claim the scalps of the Roosters and the Storm – both at Hunter Stadium, so the Eels will be foolish to count their chickens early here, especially with Jarrod Mullen returning to the starting line-up for this clash.

Also named in the team is former Eels centre Timana Tahu who will start from the bench.

EELS
After a tough and narrow loss to the Bulldogs in round 23, the Eels returned to their home-ground of Pirtek Stadium for the final time this year to face Manly with a win required to keep their season alive.

The visitors dominated the first half of football, scored early and again before the break to take a 12 – nil lead into the halftime break, with a performance that had the warning bells sounding for the Eels.

However, the Eels responded in fantastic fashion, turning the tables on their arch-enemies in the second half, dominating play and running in four unanswered tries to post a 22 – 12 victory.

It was the first time since the opening round this year, when playing against the Storm, that the Eagles have been run down after leading at the half-time break.

The win sees the Eels scrape into the eight but it was a victory that was delivered at just the right time, giving the Parramatta side plenty of confidence and momentum for the race into the finals.

No surprise to see Coach Brad Arthur go with an unchanged side.

HEAD TO HEAD
The Knights won 16 – 10 when these two sides last met in round 16 this year, making it six straight wins over the Eels, four of which have come at Hunter Stadium. The last win the Eels won when visiting Newcastle was in 2009.

Only one of those last six games has seen a total match score of greater than 32 points.

Although the recent record of the Knights over the Eels combined with the Eels poor away stats brings the home-team right into calculations here, the manner of last week’s win should have the Eels primed to reverse the trend – but they’ll be made work hard for it.

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Teams:

KNIGHTS: Kurt Gidley, Chanel Mata’utia, Dane Gagai, Joey Leilua, Sione Mata’utia, Jarrod Mullen, Tyrone Roberts, David Fa’alogo, Adam Clydsdale, Willie Mason, Beau Scott, Robbie Rochow, Adam Cuthbertson.
Interchange: Travis Waddell, Korbin Sims, Chris Houston, Timana Tahu.

EELS: Jarryd Hayne, Semi Radradra, Will Hopoate, Ryan Morgan, Vai Toutai, Corey Norman, Chris Sandow, Tim Mannah, Isaac De Gois, Junior Paulo, Kenny Edwards, Tepai Moeroa, Joseph Paulo.
Interchange: Peni Terepo, David Gower, Darcy Lussick, Ben Smith, Pauli Pauli (one to be omitted).