The Cowboys will be seeking atonement for their lost opportunities in round 23 while a revitalised Newcastle side will be buoyed by an exuberant home crowd - here's our round 24 match preview!

cowboys.com.au match preview: Cowboys v Knights
Round 24, 2009 NRL Telstra Premiership

TEAMS

North Queensland Toyota Cowboys: Matthew Bowen, Ty Williams, Ashley Graham, Willie Tonga, Michael Bani, Grant Rovelli, Johnathan Thurston (c), Shane Tronc, Anthony Watts, Matthew Scott, Carl Webb, Scott Bolton, Luke O'Donnell. Interchange: Travis Burns, Steve Southern, Antonio Kaufusi, Manase Manuokafoa, Ben Harris, Steve Rapira (two to be omitted). Coach: Neil Henry.

Newcastle Knights: Kurt Gidley (c), Keith Lulia, Junior Sau, Adam MacDougall, Cooper Vuna, Ben Rogers, Jarrod Mullen, Mark Taufua, Isaac DeGois, Chris Houston, Steve Simpson, Zeb Taia, Matt Hilder. Interchange: Wes Naiqama, Marvin Karawana, Richie Fa'aoso, Danny Wicks, Cory Paterson (one to be omitted). Coach: Rick Stone.

• Played: 21 – Cowboys 8, Knights 13
• Head-to-head at EnergyAustralia Stadium: Played 11 – Cowboys 3, Knights 8
• Last 10 games head-to-head: Played 10 – Cowboys 6, Knights 4
• Last game: Cowboys 36 d Knights 10, Dairy Farmers Stadium (Rd 11, 2009)
• Biggest head-to-head wins: Cowboys: 52 - 18, Dairy Farmers Stadium (Rd 4, 2005); Knights: 60 - 24, Dairy Farmers Stadium (Rd 22, 2003)
• Home records 2009: Cowboys: played 10, won 7, lost 3; Knights: played 10, won 7, lost 3
• Away records 2009: Cowboys: played 10, won 3, lost 7; Knights: played 10, won 3, lost 7

Date: Saturday 22 August 2009
Venue: EnergyAustralia Stadium
Time: 5.30pm
Coverage: 4TO 102.3FM (live), Fox Sports 2 (live), ABC live game (live)
Referees: Jason Robinson, Ashley Klein

HERE'S THE DEAL!

Cowboys: Quite simply, the Cowboys are out of form. The breathtaking first half display against the Titans in round 21 is a distant memory. Coach Henry has made it clear to his troops that: (a) Anthony Watts needs to eliminate the errors in his game; (b) Shane Tronc, Matt Scott, Carl Webb and Scott Bolton need to gain the metres; and (c) Johnathan Thurston, Matt Bowen, Willie Tonga and Ash Graham need to take the game by the throat!

Knights: The Knights returned to form in spectacular fashion last Monday night, and will take this confidence and momentum into Saturday night's clash. The Knights' penchant to offload with gay abandon allows the likes of Kurt Gidley and Jarrod Mullen to take advantage of the broken play created and could test the Cowboys at every turn.

Outcome: The form guide indicates a Knights win but which Cowboys team will turn up? The lackadaisical second half against the Bulldogs or the scintillating first half v the Titans? Cowboys fans will be hoping for the latter!