The Cowboys will be desperate to break their three-game losing streak when they host a Knights team that will be stinging after a hard-fought golden point loss to the Panthers.
Adam O'Brien's men face a long road trip to Townsville after a Nathan Cleary field goal broke their hearts last Saturday but the expected return of skipper Kalyn Ponga should be enough to put the spring back in their step at Newcastle this week.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys will be hoping to make amends with their faithful after losing to the Dolphins at home in Round 6.
While coach Todd Payten said he saw improvement in his side's third-straight loss to the Warriors on Saturday, the North Queenslanders are a long way from the form that carried them all the way to the preliminary final last year.
Despite their 16th placed position on the ladder, if history is any indication, the Cowboys know how to tackle the Novocastrians at home, defeating the Knights 36-16 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Round 9 last season.
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Team News
Cowboys: Jake Granville will start at lock and Reuben Cotter reverts to the bench in a game day switch. Riley Price is 18th Man. Jordan McLean is confirmed to return from a hamstring injury but superstar Jason Taumalolo faces up to six weeks on the sideline with a knee injury.
Knights: Tyson Gamble will start at five-eighth and returning skipper Kalyn Ponga goes to the interchange in a late switch an hour before kick-off. Kurt Mann will start the game at lock with Mat Croker and Jack Hetherington on the bench alongside Ponga and Jacob Saifiti, who returns from a four-game suspension.
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Stat Attack
- The Cowboys have scored 32 points or more in their past three games against the Knights in Townsville.
- The Knights have had two wins, a draw and a one-point loss in their past four games.
- Cowboys second-rower Jeremiah Nanai has scored nine tries in his past 11 games at QCB Stadium.
- Knights captain Kalyn Ponga will make his 100th NRL appearance.
- Since 2015 the Cowboys have won only 36 percent of their games without Jason Taumalolo.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.