A Battle of Grit Coming Up for the Newcastle Knights at Cbus Super Stadium

Published: Saturday, 22/03/2025 at 10AM

With a host of rumors surrounding ins and outs for the Newcastle Knights leading into the match up VS the Gold Coast Titans tonight, The Knighthood Podcast have the good oil for you here.

The Newcastle Knights have started their 2025 NRL campaign in strong form, sitting fourth on the ladder with two wins from two games. Defensive resilience and glimpses of attacking flair are the key positives from the opening rounds.

As comfortable as the victory against the Dolphins was last week, the Knights lost the final 50 minutes of that match 6-12. Not ideal, but they did enough to secure two vital competition points.

With a soft early draw, winning form is an expectation if they are to push for a finals run, maybe even an unexpected top-four finish.

Titans Aim to Defend Their Home Fortress

Gold Coast enters this match 12th on the ladder after a Round 1 bye and a loss to the Bulldogs in Round 2. Still winless in 2025, this home fixture presents an important opportunity to turn things around.

The Titans will take confidence from their dominant record against Newcastle at Cbus Super Stadium, where they have won the last seven straight meetings. The Knights have not beaten them on the Gold Coast since 2016, making this a historically difficult venue for Adam O'Brien's men.

A win here would not only secure their first competition points of the season but also extend their stronghold over Newcastle at home. With their season yet to gain momentum, the Titans will see this as a must-win game to get back on track.

Match Details

Venue: Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Date: Saturday, March 22, 2025
Kickoff: 7:35 PM AEDT
Weather: Humid with partial sunshine, High: 25°C, Low: 22°C
Broadcast: Foxtel | Kayo | Nine
Post-Match Broadcast: The Knighthood Podcast via YouTube LIVE

Ladder & Form

Gold Coast Titans – 12th | Points: 2 | +/-: -16 | Form: 0-1-1 (B-L) | Win %: 0%
Newcastle Knights – 4th | Points: 4 | +/-: +16 | Form: 2-0-0 (W-W) | Win %: 100%

Casualty Ward

Newcastle Knights: Dylan Lucas (Hamstring), Kai Pearce-Paul (Suspension), Leo Thompson (Knee), Tyson Gamble (Back).
Gold Coast Titans: Kieran Foran (Biceps), Jaimin Jolliffe (Calf), Josiah Pahulu (Concussion).

Team Lineups

Backs

Keano Kini (Fullback) vs. Kalyn Ponga (Fullback, Captain)
Tony Francis (Winger) vs. James Schiller (Winger)
Brian Kelly (Centre) vs. Dane Gagai (Centre)
Phillip Sami (Centre) vs. Bradman Best (Centre)
Jojo Fifita (Winger) vs. Greg Marzhew (Winger)
AJ Brimson (Five-Eighth) vs. Fletcher Sharpe (Five-Eighth)
Jayden Campbell (Halfback) vs. Jack Cogger (Halfback)

Forwards

Moeaki Fotuaika (Prop) vs. Jacob Saifiti (Prop)
Sam Verrills (Hooker) vs. Phoenix Crossland (Hooker)
Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Prop) vs. Brodie Jones (Prop)
Klese Haas (Second Row) vs. Thomas Cant
Beau Fermor (Second Row) vs. Tyson Frizell (Second Row)
Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (Lock, Captain) vs. Adam Elliott (Lock)

Interchange

Chris Randall vs. Jayden Brailey
David Fifita vs. Jack Hetherington
Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui vs. Jermaine McEwen
Brock Gray vs. Mat Croker

Reserves

Jaylan De Groot vs. Kyle McCarthy
Arama Hau vs. Jermaine McEwen
Jacob Alick-Wiencke vs. Will Pryce
Tom Weaver vs. Matthew Arthur
Ken Maumalo vs. Tyrone Thompson

Referee Watch: Liam Kennedy in Charge

Knights under Kennedy: 7 games | 4 wins | 3 losses | 57.14% win rate
Titans under Kennedy: 9 games | 1 win | 8 losses | 12.5% win rate

The Titans have struggled under Kennedy, winning just one of nine games with him officiating. Newcastle has had more success but ultimately, execution will matter more than history.

Coaching Battle: O'Brien vs. Hasler

Adam O'Brien (Knights) – 123 games | 58 wins | 63 losses | 2 draws | 47.15% win rate
Head-to-Head vs. Hasler: 7 games | 5 wins | 2 losses

Des Hasler (Titans) – 505 games | 266 wins | 217 losses | 22 draws | 52.67% win rate
Head-to-Head vs. O'Brien: 7 games | 2 wins | 5 losses

O'Brien has had the edge over Hasler in their past meetings but Hasler’s experience and tactical flexibility could be a factor, especially with the Titans playing at home.

Tactics

Knights: Overcome the Cbus Super Stadium Curse

• Control possession – limiting errors to prevent the Titans from gaining momentum.

• Jack Cogger must step up – his kicking game will be crucial in pinning the Titans deep and applying pressure.

• Win the battle up front – Newcastle’s middle forwards must match the Titans’ physicality to nullify Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and David Fifita.

Titans: Use History & Power to Their Advantage

• Start fast – if they build an early lead, the Knights could struggle to regain momentum.

• Attack Newcastle’s edges – the Titans have dangerous outside backs who can capitalise on any defensive lapses.

• Dominate the ruck – winning the middle battle will allow Foran and Boyd to control the pace of the game.

Betting Markets

The Knights are set at $2.02 head-to-head, while the Titans sit at $1.82.

Match Prediction

This is a form vs. history clash. Newcastle comes in with strong momentum but their poor record on the Gold Coast is a concern.

If they control possession and execute their kicking game, they should be too strong. However, if the Titans start fast and force the Knights into a grind, this could go down to the wire.

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