The Dragons and Knights travel to the Central Coast for the final game of the NRLW triple-header knowing there's every chance they'll meet again in the sudden-death playoffs a week later.
Both sides locked in their finals spots last week after 3-1 starts to the NRLW season with Sunday's clash a perfect chance to iron out any minor flaws before sudden-death footy.
The Dragons got the chocolates against the Broncos last week in a golden point thriller, which will give them confidence if matches come down to the wire over the next three weeks.
Newcastle were locked in a battle of their own against the Roosters but despite hitting the front late, were quickly reeled back in by the defending premiers.
The first and only time these two sides have met was in March where the Dragons pummeled the Knights 40-4, racking up the biggest-ever NRLW win.
However, Newcastle are a different side now as their new recruits continue to lead the way for the club.
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The Rundown
Team news
Dragons: There are more late changes for the Dragons, who withdrew captain Kezie Apps (rested), Talei Holmes and Monalisa Soliola from their squad in the 24-hour update on Saturday. Zali Hopkins, who wasn't originally in the playing 17, will now start at five-eighth in place of Taliah Fuimaono who moves to centre. Shontelle Stowers is the other centre, with Keele Browne reverting to the bench and Page McGregor dropping out. Quincy Dodd will start at hooker with Keeley Davis coming off the bench. Renee Targett and Aliti Namoce are the new additions to the bench.
Knights: Tamika Upton has withdrawn from the squad for the second week in a row as she battles a calf issue, headlining a glut of changes to the Newcastle backline. Shanice Parker moves from centre to fullback, while Emmanita Paki moves from centre to the wing. The new centres are Kiana Takairangi, whose positional switch opens the door for Jessica Gentle to make her NRLW debut on the wing, and Bobbi Law, who has overcome a hip issue. Simone Karpani moves to the bench, with development player Kayla Romaniuk the new starting lock. There were no further changes an hour before kick off.
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Key match-up
Rachael Pearson v Jesse Southwell: It was a tale of two halves last week with Pearson coming up with the match-winner by slotting home a field goal for her side while Southwell will have liked her time over in the final minutes after throwing a pass that enabled Isabelle Kelly to scoop the ball up and score against the run of play. Both players' kicking games are the best for their respective sides and should play a big part in this one.
Stat attack
The Knights are completing at just 71% to record the lowest rate on average per game. Since their big win over the Broncos in Round 1 they've struggled with their attack with ball control becoming an issue with a competition-high 39 errors. The Dragons are next worst at 33 total errors but have an overall completion rate of 78% despite enjoying just 48% of possession per game on average.
Witness all six NRLW teams competing on the same day, at the same stadium, with a triple header blockbuster at Central Coast Stadium on September 18. Family tickets start from only $20. Adult’s from just $5 and kids FREE with a paying adult. Secure your seats at NRL.com/tickets.