Looking for their first win in seven weeks and only the third for the year, not many gave a hope to the Knights when they took on the Roosters last week however, leading 12 – 6 at halftime, an upset appeared on the cards.

Unfortunately for the Knights, that’s where their scoring ended whilst the Roosters clicked into gear and ran in four second half tries to register a 29 – 12 victors.

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Although their record reads poorly, the Knights have narrowly lost to West Tigers (3 points), Manly (1 point) and Canterbury (4 points) in recent weeks and last round’s score-line wasn’t a true reflection on their courageous performance.

However, just as winning is a habit, so to is losing and for the Knights, it’s a hard one to break in 2014.

The Knigths have named both the Origin players (Boyd and Scott) in the starting line up for this game and will also welcome back Kurt Gidley who’ll take on the Hooker role.

It gives the Knights one of their strongest line-ups for the year.

COWBOYS
The Cowboys’ lost to Parramatta 18 – 16 in round 13, their most recent match, means that they are still yet to register a win on the road this season.

The were no excuses against the Eels who continually invited the Cowboys back into the contest late in the game with several poor plays but the Cowboys, who have scored an average of 12.8 points when away from home as compared to 29 when hosting sides, just aren’t the same side when the leave Townsville.

With this game being the fist of four away games over the next five weeks, the Cowboys have to find a remedy to the solution and fast as they sit precariously in tenth spot on the ladder.

Each of their origin players (Thurston, Scott, Tamou and Tate) have been named in this side so any fallout from Wednesday’s Origin should be closely monitored, and Tariq Sims returns to the line-up.

HEAD TO HEAD
Newcastle can only claim one win from their past six games against the Cowboys and importantly for the visitors, they’ve won three of those matches in Newcastle.

When the sides last met back in round 5 up in Townsville, the Cowboys were comprehensive 28 – 8 victors.

It’s hard to take either side with a great deal of confidence at the moment given the Knights current state of mind and the Cowboys record away from home but if looking for a flutter, something small on the points being under might be the way to go.

Teams:

KNIGHTS: 1. Darius Boyd 2. James McManus 3. Dane Gagai 4. Joseph Leilua 5. Akuila Uate 6. Jarrod Mullen 7. Tyrone Roberts 8. David Fa’alogo 9. Kurt Gidley 10. Willie Mason 11. Beau Scott 12. Robbie Rochow 13. Jeremy Smith 14. Adam Clydsdale 15. Korbin Sims 17. Chris Houston 18. Joseph Tapine 19. Clint Newton

COWBOYS: 1. Michael Morgan 2. Matthew Wright 3. Brent Tate 4. Kane Linnett 5. Antonio Winterstein 6. Johnathan Thurston 7. Ray Thompson 8. Matthew Scott 9. Rory Kostjasyn 10. James Tamou 11. Ethan Lowe 12. Tariq Sims 13. Scott Bolton 14. Robert Lui 15. Glenn Hall 16. Ashton Sims 17. Jason Taumalolo