St George Illawarra and Sydney Roosters meet for the second time in a month with the pressure gauge on both sides mounting for contrasting reasons.
The Dragons lost their sixth-straight match against the Cowboys in Round 11 but in an even greater concern it was by a big margin - something they hadn't been doing previously.
After the club announced Anthony Griffin's departure this week, the Dragons will be looking to hand interim coach Ryan Carr a first-up win when they take on a Roosters side lacking confidence and energy could be the match-up that helps turn results around.
Meanwhile, the Roosters have lost back-to-back games but in a big concern it's their energy and effort areas that coach Trent Robinson and skipper James Tedesco have labelled the biggest disappointment.
A star-studded Roosters side has plenty of expectation at the best of times but coming off a record-breaking 48-4 loss to the Panthers and that pressure has amplified following their Magic Round defeat.
With only one point splitting them on Anzac Day, whoever is hungrier to win will come out on top of this one and you would be concerned for the club that doesn't after their past fortnight of results.
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Team news
Dragons: Jack Bird was withdrawn from the squad an hour before kick-off due to knee soreness, prompting Ben Murdoch-Masila to move from the bench to the second row. Jaiyden Hunt is the new man on the interchange. Zac Lomax is back in the centres after a couple of weeks out of the side.
Roosters: Prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is out with a pectoral strain, so Matt Lodge starts and Nathan Brown joins the bench. A late switch sees Brandon Smith revert to the interchange and Jake Turpin start at hooker. With Joey Manu out with an ankle injury, Luke Keary moves to five-eighth and Drew Hutchison comes in at halfback.
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Stat Attack
- The Roosters have won nine of their last 10 games against the Dragons, including a 27-26 win on Anzac Day in April. The Dragons have not defeated the Roosters outside of Anzac Day since the 2010 Grand Final.
- James Tedesco has scored three tries in his past two games against the Dragons.
- Tautau Moga has scored 11 tries in his past seven NRL appearances.
- Dragons captain Ben Hunt has scored four tries in his past five games at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
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Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.