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Knights v Rabbitohs: Clune in for Hastings; Tatola, Sele return

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The Knights head into Round 25 on a six-game winning streak and will have a monster home crowd behind them when the Rabbitohs come to town on Sunday.

Averaging 37 points per game across their hot streak the Knights are one of the NRL's hottest teams and can pretty much secure a finals spot with a win over the Rabbitohs.

With Kalyn Ponga in electric form and the forward pack laying a strong foundation, the Knights have charged from 14th to seventh across the past six weeks.

In stark contrast the Rabbitohs have lost four of their last seven to slide from fourth spot after Round 17 to eighth spot with games against Newcastle and the Roosters to come as well as a bye in Round 26.

Despite being below their best, Jason Demetriou's men did enough to get past the Dragons in Round 24, the final stop on a demanding road trip that took them from the Sunshine Coast to Tamworth to Perth and Cairns.

A trip up the freeway to Newcastle this weekend will be a pleasant change of pace for the Bunnies as they look to make a statement against a fellow contender and shore up their spot in eight in the process.

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Team News 

Knights: No late changes on game day after halfback Jackson Hastings (ankle) dropped out of the side on Saturday with his place taken by Adam Clune. Star centre Bradman Best returns from an adductor injury so Enari Tuala goes to the reserves. Winger Dom Young needs one try to equal the club record for most tries in a season heled by Timana Tahu (2002) and Akuila Uate (2010) with 21 tries.

Rabbitohs: A late change on game day sees Tevita Tatola and Hame Sele return from injuries on the interchange bench, with Michael Chee Kam dropping out of the side and Davvy Moale back to 18th man. Star forward Jai Arrow is named to start in the pack as he continues to try and play through back spasms.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Knights is number 1 Kalyn Ponga
    Fullback for Rabbitohs is number 1 Latrell Mitchell
  • Winger for Knights is number 2 Dominic Young
    Winger for Rabbitohs is number 2 Alex Johnston
  • Centre for Knights is number 3 Dane Gagai
    Centre for Rabbitohs is number 3 Isaiah Tass
  • Centre for Knights is number 4 Bradman Best
    Centre for Rabbitohs is number 4 Campbell Graham
  • Winger for Knights is number 5 Greg Marzhew
    Winger for Rabbitohs is number 5 Taane Milne
  • Five-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Tyson Gamble
    Five-Eighth for Rabbitohs is number 6 Cody Walker
  • Halfback for Knights is number 20 Adam Clune
    Halfback for Rabbitohs is number 7 Lachlan Ilias

Forwards

  • Prop for Knights is number 8 Jacob Saifiti
    Prop for Rabbitohs is number 8 Jai Arrow
  • Hooker for Knights is number 9 Phoenix Crossland
    Hooker for Rabbitohs is number 9 Damien Cook
  • Prop for Knights is number 10 Leo Thompson
    Prop for Rabbitohs is number 10 Shaquai Mitchell
  • 2nd Row for Knights is number 11 Tyson Frizell
    2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 11 Keaon  Koloamatangi 
  • 2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Lachlan Fitzgibbon
    2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 12 Jacob Host
  • Lock for Knights is number 13 Adam Elliott
    Lock for Rabbitohs is number 13 Cameron Murray

Interchange

  • Interchange for Knights is number 14 Kurt Mann
    Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 14 Tallis Duncan
  • Interchange for Knights is number 15 Daniel Saifiti
    Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 16 Siliva Havili
  • Interchange for Knights is number 16 Jack Hetherington
    Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 19 Hame Sele
  • Interchange for Knights is number 17 Mat Croker
    Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 21 Tevita Tatola

Reserves

  • Replacement for Knights is number 21 Brodie Jones
    Replacement for Rabbitohs is number 17 Davvy Moale

Match Officials

  • Referee: Grant Atkins
  • Touch Judge: Dave Munro
  • Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
  • Senior Review Official: Adam Gee

Last updated:

Stat Attack

  • The Knights are chasing seven consecutive wins for the first time since 2001-02.
  • The Rabbitohs have won 12 of their past 14 games against the Knights.
  • The Knights have not defeated the Rabbitohs at McDonald Jones Stadium since 2011.
  • Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston has scored 15 tries in nine games against the Knights.
  • Knights winger Dominic Young has scored 21 tries in his last 19 games at McDonald Jones Stadium.
  • Knights winger Greg Marzhew leads the NRL in tackle breaks with 143 at an average of 8.4 per game.
  • The Rabbitohs haven't missed the finals since 2017 and have made the preliminary final in four of the past five seasons.

Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the .

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National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.