Matchday Details<\/p>\n
Sunday, August 24 \u2013 2:00 pm (AEST) \u2013 McDonald Jones Stadium
\ud83d\udcfa Broadcast: Fox League \/ Kayo
Referee: Todd Smith | Bunker: Ashley Klein <\/p>\n
Knights Broncos Match Preview<\/p>\n The Broncos were up and about after winning the \u2018Battle of Brisbane\u2019 over the Dolphins last week. It wasn\u2019t an easy game for the Broncos, as they had to come from behind to win, but players such as Reece Walsh<\/a> and Billy Walters<\/a> stood up. Walsh played his best game of the season by far, which is a good time to be firing since it\u2019s a few weeks from the finals.<\/p>\n The only person missing from last week\u2019s team is Jack Gosiewski<\/a>, who is out with a collarbone injury. Jaiyden Hunt<\/a> comes into the starting side and Jesse Arthurs is the new player on the bench.<\/p>\n To say the Knights were bad against the Cowboys last week is an understatement. The Novocastrians gained a stat last week that nobody wants: 11 times this year they have gone scoreless in the first half. The 2014 Wests Tigers are another side with that unwanted stat. They made the Cowboys look like a top-eight side. Scott Drinkwater<\/a> was probably pretty happy with some good plays to put on his highlight reel.<\/p>\n Phoenix Crossland<\/a> has been named at hooker, making a return from a concussion. Jayden Brailey<\/a> moves to the bench, with Matt Arthur dropping to the reserves. Brodie Jones<\/a> is out of the side, and Elijah Salesa Leaumoana is the new face on the bench. <\/p>\n It was a baptism of fire for fullback Connor Votano<\/a> last week, and it doesn\u2019t get any better this week, taking on a red-hot Broncos side led by Walsh. This game will be a steep learning curve for the young fullback, but he will come out the other side a better player, despite the Knights being in the hole they\u2019re in.<\/p>\n These two teams have the best centre pairings in the game, and it will be interesting to see which pairing gets the upper hand. All four men have played representative football at some stage of their careers. Gehamat Shibasaki has had a great season so far, and he will want to put a stamp on this game. Both teams are missing their first-choice halves, but the pairing of Walters and Ben Hunt<\/a> will better serve their centres with better ball than the pairing of Jack Cogger<\/a> and Jakob Arthur.<\/p>\n It will be interesting to see how Michael Maguire will use Arthurs on the bench. Arthurs usually is a back, so if a forward goes down, there will have to be either a reshuffle somewhere, or Arthurs will become a forward for a game. But it may not happen at all.<\/p>\n It will be a big game for Hunt this weekend as he brings up his 350th game. Hunt found himself back at the Broncos after parting ways at the Dragons in a split that was anything but amicable. However, both sides are better off without each other, as you can see the difference in Hunt; he is back enjoying his footy, and Broncos fans are no doubt happy about that.<\/p>\n Usually, home grounds are fortresses for teams. The term \u2018home ground advantage\u2019 was given for a reason, and some teams could rack up the wins at home. Unfortunately for the Knights, they have lost nine of their last 10 games at McDonald Jones Stadium, and it will most likely be 10 out of 11 games this weekend.<\/p>\n Prediction<\/p>\n RLZ Tip: Broncos by 20. <\/p>\n See our full Round 25 Predictions (live Wednesday 12pm) here: 2025 NRL Tipping: Round 25 Writer Predictions<\/a><\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Connor Votano<\/a>\u00a02.\u00a0Dominic Young<\/a>\u00a03.\u00a0Dane Gagai<\/a>\u00a04.\u00a0Bradman Best<\/a>\u00a05.\u00a0Greg Marzhew<\/a>\u00a06. Jakob Arthur 7.\u00a0Jack Cogger<\/a>\u00a08.\u00a0Jacob Saifiti<\/a>\u00a09.\u00a0Phoenix Crossland<\/a>\u00a010.\u00a0Leo Thompson<\/a>\u00a011.\u00a0Jermaine McEwen<\/a>\u00a012.\u00a0Kai Pearce-Paul<\/a>\u00a013.\u00a0Tyson Frizell<\/a>\u00a014.\u00a0Jayden Brailey<\/a>\u00a015. Mathew Croker 16.\u00a0Thomas Cant<\/a>\u00a017. Elijah Salesa Leaumoana\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Reece Walsh<\/a>\u00a02.\u00a0Josiah Karapani<\/a>\u00a03.\u00a0Kotoni Staggs<\/a>\u00a04. Gehamat Shibasaki 5.\u00a0Deine Mariner<\/a>\u00a06.\u00a0Billy Walters<\/a>\u00a07.\u00a0Ben Hunt<\/a>\u00a08.\u00a0Corey Jensen<\/a>\u00a09.\u00a0Cory Paix<\/a>\u00a010.\u00a0Payne Haas<\/a>\u00a011.\u00a0Jaiyden Hunt<\/a>\u00a012.\u00a0Jordan Riki<\/a>\u00a013.\u00a0Patrick Carrigan<\/a>\u00a014.\u00a0Tyson Smoothy<\/a>\u00a015.\u00a0Kobe Hetherington<\/a>\u00a016. Ben Talty 17. Jesse Arthurs<\/p>\n