Knights vs Raiders Round 1 Tips, Prediction & Preview

Andrew Hendrie: Mar 7, 2024

Newcastle Knights will be confident of opening their 2024 season with a win when they play host to the Canberra Raiders on Thursday night.

Knights vs Raiders Tips, Preview & Predictions

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders free Round 1 NRL expert predictions, betting tips and preview – Knights won 10 of their 13 games at McDonald Jones Stadium last season…

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders H2H Prediction

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders Tips

Best Knights -6.5 line odds $1.90 with Dabble

Knights have won six of the last eight meetings between the teams
Knights won 10 of their 13 games at McDonald Jones Stadium last season
Raiders have lost their last four away games
Greg Marzhew has scored 15 tries in his last 14 NRL games
Bradman Best has scored at least one try in seven of his last eight home games
Xavier Savage has scored a try in four of his last five games

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders Same Game Multi Tips

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders Match Details

🇦🇺 Competition: NRL
📅 Date: Thursday March 7 (AEDT)
⏰ Time: 8.00pm AEDT
🏟️ Stadium: McDonald Jones Stadium (Newcastle)

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders Head to Head

10/9/23: Knights 30-28 Raiders
29/7/23: Raiders 6-28 Knights
26/3/23: Knights 24-14 Raiders
21/8/22: Knights 22-28 Raiders
19/6/22: Raiders 20-18 Knights

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders Preview & Prediction

The Knights target a fourth consecutive victory over the Raiders when the two teams square off in NRL Round 1 action on Thursday night.

It’s a rematch of their thrilling finals showdown from last season, which the Knights prevailed 30-28 in extra-time before being knocked out the following week by the Warriors.

Newcastle were one of the great improvers of the 2023 season, rising from 14th to 5th on the ladder, with Kalyn Ponga stepping up in the second-half of the campaign as one of the competition’s best players.

Ponga will again be key to the Knights’ fortunes in 2024, while Dominic Young’s try-scoring prowess on the wing will be tough to replace.

Meanwhile, the Raiders did well to make the finals last season, but they were involved in so many tight games and their luck could balance out this term.

Canberra have lost Jack Wighton to the Bunnies and have Sebastian Kris and Corey Horsburgh suspended for Round 1, so quite a difficult season opener for the Green Machine here.

The Raiders have also lost their last four away games and have only defeated the Knights once at this venue since 2015.

VERDICT:

Have to back the Knights in Round 1 at home against a weakened Raiders side who are tipped to struggle by many this term.

Expecting Newcastle to win this opener comfortably with plenty of points – also watch out for Greg Marzhew to continuing his fantastic try-scoring form from last season on the wing (Best Knights -6.5 line odds $1.90 with Dabble.)

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders Teams

Knights team: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Enari Tuala 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Dylan Lucas 13. Adam Elliott 14. Jack Cogger 15. Daniel Saifiti 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Kai Pearce-Paul 18. Jed Cartwright 19. Thomas Jenkins 20. Will Pryce 21. Brodie Jones 22. Thomas Cant

Raiders team: 1. Jordan Rapana 2. Nick Cotric 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Albert Hopoate 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Danny Levi 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Zac Hosking 13. Morgan Smithies 14. Tom Starling 15. Emre Guler 16. Ata Mariota 17. Pasami Saulo 18. Kaeo Weekes 19. Simi Sasagi 20. Zac Woolford 21. James Schiller 22. Trey Mooney