Saturday, EnergyAustralia Stadium, 7.30pm

Referee: Sean Hampstead

Must-win game for the Knights. If they win, they will stay alive in the battle for places in the finals. If they lose, while they will still mathematically be alive they will realistically be as good as dead, with a home game against the Storm and an away game against the Broncos to finish the regular season for them. It would be asking too much to expect them to win both of those, and even if they did it's possible 28 points might end up not being enough to make the top eight anyway, in such an even competition. That is why it is imperative they get the win here.

The Knights are certainly playing well enough to beat the Cowboys at home. On form, they really should win. They got a touch-up on the road against Canberra last weekend, losing 38-18, but they are not alone in that category. Going on the road to play the Raiders is a scary proposition at the moment. Newcastle won three straight before that. The Cowboys got their star halfback, Johnathan Thurston, back from injury last weekend, but it wasn't enough to get them a win at home against Gold Coast, who got their halfback, Scott Prince, back and proved too good. The Cowboys are fighting to avoid the wooden spoon, so they have certainly got something to play for, but this is Newcastle's season on the line. Their intensity should be high and they have got the players who can make things happen. They should come away with a win.