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North Queensland Cowboys vs Newcastle Knights Preview & Tips - Cowboys to win NRL Elimination Final

Jeremy Darke

Editor

Last updated: 12 Sep 2024

Jeremy Darke 12 Sep 2024

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North QLD Cowboys vs Newcastle Knights expert predictions for Saturday’s NRL Elimination Final
Cowboys have won 4 of their last 5 games at QCB Stadium
Cowboys also have a strong historical record against the Knights

Expired

Cowboys to win (Getty)

North Queensland Cowboys vs Newcastle Knights Preview

North Queensland Cowboys are backed to dominate this Elimination Final and send the Newcastle Knights out in the opening week of the finals.

North Queensland Cowboys vs Newcastle Knights Preview
Head to Head
North Queensland Cowboys Form
North Queensland Cowboys Team News
North Queensland Cowboys Team List
Newcastle Knights Form
Newcastle Knights Team News
Newcastle Knights Team List

North Queensland have won 4 of their past 5 games at QCB Stadium.
North Queensland have won the past 8 games against Newcastle in Townsville, dating back to round 2, 2015.
North Queensland have won 4 of their past 5 matches against Newcastle.
The Cowboys and Knights have a combined attacking points average of 65 in their past 5 games.
Valentine Holmes has scored 6 tries in his past 5 games.

Head to Head

North Queensland have won the past three matches against Newcastle, including a 21-20 golden point victory back in round 2 this season, erasing a 10-point lead in the final 20 minutes with Chad Townsend kicking the field goal 1 minute into the extra period.

The Cowboys have won five of the past eight games against the Knights since 2019.

North Queensland Cowboys Form

Since Magic Round in the middle of May the Cowboys won 11 of 14 games making them one of the most in-form teams heading into the Finals, also losing just one of their final seven matches.

The question mark over the Cowboys is their defence which is often bang or bust. Taking their past five games for example, their opposition scored 30+ points in three of those matches while the other two they conceded just one try in each.

There are no uncertainties around their attack which has averaged 38 points per game in their past five matches and has averaged the third most points of any team this season with 27.4 per game.

Kyle Feldt is having a huge final season for the Cowboys leading the team with 22 tries (2nd in NRL) and leading the league with 30 linebreaks this season.

On the other side of the field the combo of Murray Taulagi and Valentine Holmes do the damage with Scott Drinkwater causing problems for their opposition on both sides of the field.

North Queensland Cowboys Team News

Jordan McLean returns after missing last week with a hamstring injury with Sam McIntyre moving back to the bench and Harrison Edwards to the reserves.

North Queensland Cowboys Team List

1. Scott Drinkwater

2. Kyle Feldt

3. Valentine Holmes

4. Villiami Vailea

5. Murray Taulagi

6. Tom Dearden

7. Jake Clifford

8. Jordan McLean

9. Reece Robson

10. Jason Taumalolo

11. Heilum Luki

12. Jeremiah Nanai

13. Reuben Cotter

Interchange

14. Sam McIntyre

15. Harrison Edwards

16. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki

17. Griffin Neame

Reserves

18. Jaxon Purdue

19. Chad Towsend

20. Thomas Mikaele

21. Marly Bitungane

22. Tom Chester

Newcastle Knights Form

The Newcastle Knights resurrected their season in the final five rounds, winning four matches and qualifying for the finals in the final game on the NRL calendar with a 14-6 win over the Dolphins.

The Knights attack has begun to find its spark with 3 30+ point games in the final 5 matches but more impressively it has been their ability to keep their opponents out of their in-goal, conceding no more than 19 points during the same span and an average of just 14.9 opposition points per game.

Kalyn Ponga’s form has spiked with the Knights success with the Newcastle fullback tallying five linebreaks five try assists two tries and 37 tackle breaks in his past 5 matches.

Newcastle Knights Team News

Adam O’Brien has named an unchangde team that secured a finals berth last week against the Dolphins.

Newcastle Knights Team List

1. Kalyn Ponga

2. Fletcher Sharpe

3. Dane Gagai

4. Bradman Best

5. Greg Marzhew

6. Jack Cogger

7. Phoenix Crossland

8. Daniel Saifiti

9. Jayden Brailey

10. Leo Thompson

11. Tyson Frizell

12. Dylan Lucas

13. Adam Elliott

Interchange

14. Tyson Gamble

15. Mat Croker

16. Jack Hetherington

17. Brodie Jones

Reserves

18. Thomas Cant

19. Will Pryce

20. Jackson Hastings

21. Kyle McCarthy

22. Kai Pearce-Paul

Verdict

North QLD Cowboys v Newcastle Knights

The Cowboys are tipped to win this match with the moneyline (rather than the margin) the pick in a game that goes over the total. Val Holmes leads the league in points and is on a tryscoring run and is the best value ATS.

North Queensland

Money Line

@4/9 - 4 Units

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Over 43.5

Game Total

@9/10 - 2 Units

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Valentine Holmes

Anytime Tryscorer

@23/15 - 1 Unit

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Valentine Holmes

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@13/1 - 1 Unit

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