2021 NRL – Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs taking place? Friday 12th March, 2021 – 07:00 (UK)
Where is Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs taking place? McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Where can I get tickets for Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs? Click here for ticket information on 2021 NRL matches
What channel is Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs on? Sky Sports Arena will be televising selected NRL games in the UK and you can find their schedule here. For Australian broadcasters, you can find a list here
Where can I stream Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs? If televised on Sky Sports, then subscribers will be able to stream the match live via Sky Go. Alternatively, the match will be available to subscribers of Watch NRL
THE TEAM NEWS
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Starting 13: Hoy, To’a, Tuala, Best, Shibasaki, Mann, Pearce, Klemmer, Brailey, D. Saifiti, Frizell, Barnett, Watson – Interchanges: Sue, J. Saifiti, King, Jones – Reserves: Hunt, Saulo
Unavailable: Edrick Lee (Injured), Kalyn Ponga (Injured), Blake Green (Injured), Lachlan Fitzgibbon (Injured), Jirah Momoisea (Injured), Phoenix Crossland (Suspended)
- Newcastle Knights produced a lot of underwhelming displays during last season but they also showed that they are capable of mixing it with the best on their day and it is the latter they will be hoping to show on a more consistent basis this time around.
- The Knights made one major addition to their roster with the capture of Tyson Frizell who will add plenty to their edge play but they look to have a lack of depth in the forwards which could hinder their chances of making the play-offs for the second season in a row.
- If the Knights are to produce another solid campaign this time around, they will have to start strongly despite the absence of key man Kalyn Ponga who is sidelined for the first few games at least while Edrick Lee, Blake Green and Lachlan Fitzgibbon are other notable absentees.
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS
Starting 13: Allan, Meaney, Hopoate, Cotric, Watene-Zelezniak, Averillo, Flanagan, Ogden, S. Katoa, Hetherington, Elliott, Waddell, Jackson – Interchanges: Deitz, Atoni, Faitala-Mariner, Napa – Reserves: T. Katoa, Smith
Unavailable: Jeremy Marshall-King (Injured), Luke Thompson (Suspended), Jayden Okunbor (Injured), Christian Crichton (Injured)
- Canterbury Bulldogs did just enough to avoid the wooden spoon last season but they will be desperate to improve this time around having managed to win just three of their NRL games in 2020 with Trent Barrett the man tasked with doing that having taken over as head coach.
- The Bulldogs have been active in the player market with Nick Cotric adding to their three-quarter line while there will be a new-look spine with Corey Allan and Kyle Flanagan joining from South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters respectively.
- Flanagan will line-up alongside the exciting Jake Averillo in the halves in a combination that Barrett will hope can prove to be a fruitful one but the head coach's hooking options are light for this contest so there is a shock call-up for 26-year-old debutant Bradley Deitz on the bench.
THE PREDICTION
Both of these teams will have aspirations of making the top eight this season and they will be eager to get off to a good start here. That will definitely be the case of Canterbury Bulldogs in Trent Barrett’s first game in charge of his new side and he will hope that his new-look spine can provide the goods. Newcastle Knights are a tricky opponent but the hosts will need to find some greater consistency this campaign if they are to improve on last year’s effort. The absence of Kalyn Ponga in these early rounds is a big blow for the Knights and in what could be a close affair, it looks wise to side with the Dogs with a +6.5 start.
