Both these teams are in that pressure-cooker environment of trying to secure a top-eight spot with only six rounds left.
This match has been transferred from a 5.30pm kick-off on Saturday to a 1.50pm start on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane due to the revised round 20 draw brought about by Queensland's snap lockdown.
The Raiders' third consecutive win last weekend - 12-10 over the Eels - put them there, proving they have plenty of fight left under those Vikings helmets. That win was also without their Dally M winner Jack Wighton and fullback Xavier Savage.
The Knights were without key personnel too but couldn't find enough killer punches in crunch moments before losing 28-8 to the Roosters - their second defeat in their past three games.
Coach Adam O'Brien said his team's "footy IQ" needed to be better on how to manage a game, especially in the second half, in terms of kicking and field position.
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart lauded his players after the two-point win over the Eels saying "that type of grit, that will to win" has always been what the Raiders jumper stands for. He will want more of that over the next six weeks.
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The rundown
Team news
Knights: In a minor change announced an hour before kick-off, Sauaso Sue will start at lock with Connor Watson moving back to the bench. Tex Hoy will be the 18th man.
Mitchell Pearce was named among the reserves on Tuesday but was ruled out due to his hamstring problem. Simi Sasagi was the other player to drop out of the squad on Friday.
Kalyn Ponga dismissed any concerns around a sternum injury suffered against the Roosters last week during a media conference on Tuesday.
Teenage young gun Bradman Best also said he was confident of playing after being named to return three weeks early from syndesmosis surgery.
Prop David Klemmer (head knock) returns to claim a place on the interchange, pushing Jack Johns out of the 21.
The Knights have won only one of their past five games at Suncorp Stadium.
Raiders: Joe Tapine moves from the bench to the starting side, with Josh Papalii now on the interchange. Dunamis Lui will be the 18th man for the Green Machine.
Bailey Simonsson (foot) and Dunamis Lui (calf) returned to full training but Simonsson was omitted from the 21-man squad on Friday.
Jack Wighton (ribs) was restricted to no contact training on Monday but took part in the side's skills session.
English forward Elliott Whitehead (shoulder) trained strongly and will play.
Ryan James was the other player omitted from the squad 24 hours before kick-off.
The Raiders have conceded only 44 points in their past three games.
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Key match-up
Joe Tapine v Daniel Saifiti: These two props last week each made 17 runs and each broke out of three tackles, with the Raiders international running for slightly more metres (157 to 133).
But everyone remembers Saifiti's NSW State of Origin form - 270 metres and 30 hit-ups in the first two games before injury kept him out of the third.
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Stat attack
The 15 tackle busts Jordan Rapana made against the Eels last round has put him third in the NRL (90) behind competition leader David Fifita (115).
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