Tonight’s NRL Round 3 match is between Newcastle Knights and Nth Queensland Cowboys. The match is set to commence at 7pm local time with the game being played at Hunter Stadium. Away team Nth Queensland Cowboys are the current favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Newcastle Knights vs Nth Queensland Cowboys.
Knights v Cowboys
Hunter Stadium
Monday 7pm
Odds:
Newcastle Knights $2.10 vs Nth Queensland Cowboys $1.75 at Sportsbet Australia
Newcastle Knights $2.15 vs Nth Queensland Cowboys $1.72 at Luxbet Australia
Preview:
Watch Out Knights: Expect co-captain Thurston to hit the ground running in his 200th first grade game – he’s already in sparkling form and the fact it’s being played away from home could actually help rather than hinder his performance as he gets to avoid the hype that would have accompanied marking the milestone in Townsville.
Over the opening two matches Thurston has notched three try assists and four line-break assists, including three in a beaten side last week. He lifts for contests with quality opposition – the last time he opposed Jarrod Mullen he contributed two line-breaks and three offloads as well as running 110 metres in a 22-14 win.
At present Newcastle have conceded the second-fewest metres around the park in 2013 (just 1166 a week) but their resolve is sure to be tested by a Cowboys front row that is second to none when it comes to grinding out dominant field position. Co-captain Matthew Scott and James Tamou have picked up where they left off in 2012, averaging 151 and 139 metres respectively in 62-minute stints. Worryingly for Wayne Bennett the pair combined for 39 hit-ups and 355 metres the last time the sides met.
Watch Out Cowboys: The Cowboys need to watch their left-side defence after conceding four tries there last week. That’s the corridor Uate will be steaming down.
On the other side of the field Timana Tahu will pose a threat – he scored two tries off line-breaks close to the stripe last time these sides met and will test out Brent Tate.
Fringe-dwelling back-rower Beau Scott will ask questions of Kane Linnett on the Cowboys’ left edge; the bruising Scott will look to combine his creativity from round one (five tackle-breaks and two offloads) with his damaging running from last week (103 metres).
Plays To Watch: Plenty of left-side combinations from Kurt Gidley, Darius Boyd and Tahu, with Mullen and Uate doing the same on the right; Jason Taumalolo steaming towards Tahu and James McManus on the Cowboys’ right edge; Kade Snowden revving up against Scott and Tamou; plenty of offloads from the Cowboys (11 so far, fourth most).
Key Match-Up: Kurt Gidley v Michael Morgan. There will be plenty of focus on Thurston and Jarrod Mullen at five-eighth, but the battle one-man-in will be the real yardstick to the outcome.
After three injury-interrupted seasons from 2010-12 during which time he played only 39 games – including just five last season – Newcastle captain Kurt Gidley needs to make a statement here. He has had two soft games without making headlines; back in his favoured position wearing the No.7 he needs to take control and provide the spark that made him such an exciting talent running the ball to the line in years past.
Gidley won’t get a better opportunity to shine, with his opposite No.7 Michael Morgan likely to keep things simple and feed his main man Thurston at every opportunity. Gidley has yet to make a try assist, line-break assist or line-break; we’re expecting something special this week.
Where It Will Be Won: Over by the corner posts. Fans occupying seats near the four corners of Hunter Stadium will be licking their lips at the prospect of some up-close action given the attack within both teams’ ranks. Already Akuila Uate has bagged three tries to sit equal leader in the try-scoring stakes – alongside Cowboys winger Ashley Graham. Uate leads the league for line-breaks (with four), just ahead of the Cowboys’ other wingman Antonio Winterstein. Throw in the creative contributions of the respective fullbacks – Matt Bowen starred with three line-breaks, a try, 13 tackle busts and 175 metres the last time the sides met, while Darius Boyd chimed in with two try assists and two line-break assists – and it’s clear the touchies will be kept on their toes all evening.
The History: Played 28; Knights 16, Cowboys 12. North Queensland have won the past three games played between these clubs (two at Hunter Stadium).
Match Officials: Referees – Jason Robinson & Gavin Morris; Sideline Officials – Paul Holland & Dave Ryan; Video Referees – Ashley Klein & Luke Phillips.
Televised: Fox Sports 1HD – Live 7pm.
Teams:
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS:
Darius Boyd, James McManus, Anthony Quinn, Timana Tahu, Akuila Uate, Jarrod Mullen, Kurt Gidley, Kade Snowden, Matt Hilder, David Fa’alogo, Beau Scott, Chris Houston, Jeremy Smith
Interchange: Tyrone Roberts, Neville Costigan, Robbie Rochow, Alex McKinnon
NTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS:
Matthew Bowen, Ashley Graham, Brent Tate, Kane Linnett, Antonio Winterstein, Johnathan Thurston, Michael Morgan, Matt Scott, Scott Moore, James Tamou, Gavin Cooper, Glenn Hall, Dallas Johnson Interchange: Anthony Mitchell, Ashton Sims, Scott Bolton, Jason Taumalolo, Blake Leary (one to be omitted)
