The Knights were brave in their debut performance against the Eels but they face a much stiffer test against the NRLW's benchmark team Brisbane.
The three-time premiers flexed their muscle in an impressive 20-4 defeat of the Roosters but coach Kelvin Wright may have had some concerns with the way they deviated from their game plan in the second half.
The Broncos came up with 14 offloads to the Roosters' nine in round one and the Knights will need to work overtime defensively to shut down Chelsea Lenarduzzi and Amber Hall, who had nine offloads between them.
Newcastle are sure to have taken plenty of positives out of their first-up performance, not least the form of prop Phoebe Desmond, but they need to come up with better last-tackle options if they're to test the Broncos.
Match: Knights v Broncos
Round 2 -
home Team
Knights
5th Position
away Team
Broncos
1st Position
Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong
The Rundown
Team news
Knights: Local props Caitlan Johnston (elbow) and Phoebe Desmond (COVID-19) are out, replaced by Kiwi internationals Maitua Feterika and Ngatokotoru Arakua. Indigenous All Star Kyra Simon will be 18th player.
Fullback Romy Teitzel will be out to enhance her reputation even further after a barnstorming showing against the Eels where she ran for 150 metres and had three tackle breaks and a line break.
Broncos: Kaitlyn Phillips will start at lock with Sara Sautia shifting to the bench. A big moment for 21-year-old winger Hagiga Mosby, the niece of former Cowboy Gideon Gela-Mosby, who will make her debut on the wing in place of the injured Julia Robinson (cheekbone).
Broncos veteran Lavinia Gould is included on the bench with Wright set to hand Australian touch footballer Hayley Maddick a long-awaited NRLW debut.
Maddick was named touch football player of the year at the 2019 Dally M awards and played for the Broncos in the Nines in 2020.
Match: Knights v Broncos
Round 2 -
home Team
Knights
away Team
Broncos
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Knights is number 1 Romy TeitzelFullback for Broncos is number 1 Tamika Upton
-
Winger for Knights is number 2 Katelyn Vaha'akoloWinger for Broncos is number 2 Hagiga Mosby
-
Centre for Knights is number 3 Jayme FressardCentre for Broncos is number 3 Amy Turner
-
Centre for Knights is number 4 Bobbi LawCentre for Broncos is number 4 Shenae Ciesiolka
-
Winger for Knights is number 5 Katie GreenWinger for Broncos is number 5 Emily Bass
-
Five-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Autumn-Rain Stephens-DalyFive-Eighth for Broncos is number 6 Tarryn Aiken
-
Halfback for Knights is number 7 Tahlulah TillettHalfback for Broncos is number 7 Ali Brigginshaw
Forwards
-
Prop for Knights is number 10 Annetta-Claudia Nu'uausalaProp for Broncos is number 8 Millie Boyle
-
Hooker for Knights is number 9 Krystal RotaHooker for Broncos is number 9 Lauren Brown
-
Prop for Knights is number 18 Maitua FeterikaProp for Broncos is number 10 Chelsea Lenarduzzi
-
2nd Row for Knights is number 11 Rangimarie Edwards-Bruce2nd Row for Broncos is number 11 Tallisha Harden
-
2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Georgia Page2nd Row for Broncos is number 12 Amber Hall
-
Lock for Knights is number 13 Charntay PokoLock for Broncos is number 15 Kaitlyn Phillips
Interchange
-
Interchange for Knights is number 14 Emma ManzelmannInterchange for Broncos is number 13 Sara Sautia
-
Interchange for Knights is number 15 Charlotte ScanlanInterchange for Broncos is number 14 Hayley Maddick
-
Interchange for Knights is number 17 Kirra DibbInterchange for Broncos is number 16 Roxy Murdoch
-
Interchange for Knights is number 20 Ngatokotoru ArakuaInterchange for Broncos is number 17 Lavinia Gould
Reserves
-
Reserve for Knights is number 19 Kyra SimonReserve for Broncos is number 19 Toni Hunt
Match Officials
- Referee: Kasey Badger
- Senior Review Official: Matt Noyen
Last updated:
Key match-up
Tahlulah Tillett v Ali Brigginshaw: At 23, Tillett is nine years Brigginshaw's junior, but she has shown enough in this year's All Stars game and her NRLW debut last weekend that she won't be intimidated by anyone. If the Knights are to spring a massive upset they will need their halves to kick to the corners and control the tempo of the game - something the Broncos superstar has been doing with distinction for a decade.
Stat attack
Millie Boyle's numbers against the Roosters made for impressive reading, the dual international racking up 223 metres from 24 hit-ups with two tackle breaks, an offload and a try - all that in 57 minutes of game time.
