NORTH QUEENSLAND TOYOTA COWBOYS v NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS NYC
5.45pm (Qld), Saturday 14 March, 1300SMILES Stadium
Tickets: ticketek.com.au
Live updates: twitter.com/nthqldcowboys
Referee: Michael Gordon
Sideline officials: Jack Erbert, Wyatt Raymond
Times: Gates open 5.30pm | NRL Cowboys v Knights 8pm
TEAMS
Cowboys: 1.Yamba Bowie 2.Gideon Mosby 3. Akeripa Tia Kilifi 4. Conor Carey 5. Scott Schulte 6. Ty Carucci 7. Cooper Bambling 8. Viliame Kikau 9. Brandon Smith 10. Braden Uele 11. Cohen Hess 12. Bill Cullen 13. Kieran Quabba (c). Interchange: 14. Trey Kemp 15. David Munro 16. Andrew Niemoeller 17. Jordan Kenworthy.
Knights: 1. Bryce Donovan, 2. Brody Lam, 3. Ken Tofilau, 4. Braden Robson, 5. Fuaimamao Uta, 6. Brock Lamb, 7. Jack Cogger, 8. Josh King, 9. Danny Levi, 10. Daniel Saifiti, 11. Bradie Smith. 12. Jacob Saifiti, 13. Luke Yates, 14. Jack Kelly, 15. Ben Steven, 16. Faitotoa Faitotoa, 17. Noah Easton, 18. Ben Stone.
MATCH FACTS
These teams played twice last year and both results swung the way of the Knights, including a heavy loss for the Cowboys in round 15 with a 64-16 demolition at Hunter Stadium.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten will be out to keep his perfect 2015 record intact – he's currently 1/1.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Newcastle have big wraps on their halves' combination of Brock Lamb and Jack Cogger, who both played Australian Schoolboys together and were the big reason Newcastle finished as minor premiers last season in the Under 20s.
The best duel on the park should be between the two hookers.
Brandon Smith had a stellar outing against the Roosters in round one, bagging two tries and carving up around the ruck.
His opposition in Danny Levi will also be influential on the result and will rely heavily on the big boys to win ground.
Cowboys prop Viliame Kikau is again one of the go-to players after his three-try haul against the Roosters.
Along with fellow bookend Braden Uele, these two will be leading a very mobile and attacking Cowboys forward pack.
COACH TODD PAYTEN’S LAST WORDS: “They (Newcastle ) really were the benchmark last season, and have some tried and true combinations in their pack, so we'll have to be on our game if we want to make it two from two in front of our home fans.”
